EPISODES
2018 - 2021
S1.Ep1: TONI LAMOND - 18/4/18
The term Showbiz Royalty is often used to describe performers of considerable success and longevity in the business. My guest today is the real thing. She’s experienced great success across a range of mediums in a career that has spanned eight decades. She is the daughter of vaudevillians Joe Lawman and Stella Lamond, the sister of songstress Helen Reddy and the mother of actor, Tony Sheldon – she is of course Miss Toni Lamond. Toni is a woman of firsts. In a time when overseas stars were brought to Australia to lead local productions of Broadway musicals, Toni was first to be given the opportunity to lead an Australian cast in The Pajama Game. With husband, Frank Sheldon, she was the opening night act on Australian television going on to be the first woman in the world to host a Tonight Show, when filling in for the legendary Graham Kennedy. So, I am delighted that she completes another first today – the very first guest on STAGES.
S1.Ep4: TREVOR ASHLEY - 18/4/18
Trevor Ashley follows in a long line of Australian stage larrikans that include Roy Rene, Barry Humphries and Reg Livermore – talents who created unique performance personas and gave us Mo McCackie, Dame Edna Everage and Betty Blockbuster. Each celebrated the outrageous and the particular of our culture. Ashley continues the biting and hysterical piss-take, serving it up to us in flamboyant and finely realised entertainments such as Fat Swan, Little Orphan Trashley and Bodybag. In addition, Ashley has also enjoyed worldwide success with his one-man shows Liza On An E, Liza’s Back (is broken) and Diamonds Are For Trevor. He’s also proved himself on the musical theatre stage with acclaimed performances in Priscilla Queen Of The Desert - The Musical, Hairspray and Les Miserables. Intent on embracing many roles, Ashley also wears the titles of producer, director, writer and musician. STAGES sat down with Trevor shortly after his recent hit for the Sydney Gay & Lesbian 40th Anniversary Mardi Gras – a variety show at the Opera House titled Trevor Ashley’s Mardi Gala.
S1.Ep7: PAUL SALIBA - 17/5/18
Paul Saliba was once described as a man of fire. His dance and choreographic work possesses a sense of energy, light and warmth. The man himself is excitable, committed and vital. A conversation with Paul is enlightening and re-affirming. He talks to STAGES about his time with The Australian Ballet, the car accident that could have put an end to his career, his work with The Sydney Dance Company and studying in New York with the iconic Martha Graham. His work is fed by a fascination with world cultures and their employment of dance as personal expression, as storytelling, and as history. Paul is one of our great custodians of dance in Australia. All who have worked with him recognise his brilliance and passion. So it was a great delight to talk dance with Paul Saliba.
S1.Ep10: KEVIN JACKSON - 28/6/18
Kevin Jackson is regarded to be one of Australia’s foremost acting teachers. Having completed extensive periods managing the former NIDA Acting course and teaching at the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco, his knowledge and passion for the craft of acting is extensive. He has guided many of Australia’s best and noted actors, with insights and an approach which is direct, firm and fosters discovery. In recent years his passion has extended to the development of an online blog that reviews live performance – The KJ Theatre Diary. These writings not only provide us with an assessment of production and performance, but also provide a valued lesson in the history of the play and an extensive reflection on the creatives involved in the original work. To read a KJ review provides one with an idea of his reaction, but also extends our knowledge of this most vital art form.
S1.Ep13: STUART GREENE - 9/8/18
When we enter a theatre building, the first point of contact before entering the world of the play - is the front-of-house staff. Those folk who welcome us in, guide us to our seat, or pour us a drink as we give in to the magic of the night. A popular personality behind the bar of Sydney theatres for many years has been Stuart Greene – a devotee of all things theatre, he is a walking encyclopaedia of our theatre heritage, from the buildings to what has graced the stages and screens. A chance conversation with the owner of his local record store, meant that he could secure an evening job to supplement his day work. His first shift was on the Opening Night of A Little Night Music starring Bruce Barry, Geraldine Turner, Jill Perryman, Doris Fitton and Tanya Elg. Working in theatres and cinemas is now a labour of great passion. He is a familiar figure at The Cremorne Orpheum, The Theatre Royal, and The State Theatre, where he also plays a role as archivist and gives a very memorable tour of the building. You might know him from the now absent Her Majesty’s Theatre where he was always a cheerful presence behind the downstairs bar. Stuart enjoys a chat and in our conversation he laments the passing of Her Maj (which he considers a great theatre built by The Firm of J.C. Williamson) and bemoans the absence of the dozens of theatres which were once a mainstay of entertainment in Sydney.
S1.Ep16: TOM CAMPBELL - 20/9/18
A facebook post from actor Tom Campbell recently gathered much traction. He cited that the entertainment industry was making much-needed advances in embracing racial, gender and sexual diversity in its casting decisions but was failing in its representation of actors he described as having “non-normative bodies”. You see, Tom was born without a hand. Not that this has ever been a concern for him in life, or his pursuit of an acting career. It has posed some interesting obstacles along the way, from naive parties attempting to define their understanding of ‘the norm’. Tom has always tackled this with his perfect charm and engaging sense of humour. After graduating from NIDA he has constructed a broad career which boasts a lengthy CV and two Sydney Theatre awards. He has played classical repertoire, one-man shows, television, stand-up comedy and he recently embraced his first musical – more of which he hopes will follow. Always philosophical, witty and frank – he is the perfect guest – and it was a treat for STAGES to sit down and converse with Tom Campbell.
S1.Ep19: LISLE JONES - 25/10/18
I once heard Lisle Jones remark “I am married to the Theatre, but the Ballet is my mistress!” He is a man who relishes any discipline as long as it can produce a good story with clarity, passion and skill. An accomplished actor and director, he is from a school where you served an apprenticeship, learning how to craft your work on the job. By watching senior actors and devouring any experience that came your way. His was a time when an Australian actor would be obliged to travel to England to carve a career and further opportunities. After a time in London, in various roles, he was drawn back to Australia with a unique proposition – the opportunity to head an actor-training course in Western Australia. For 12 years Lisle Jones oversaw the Acting faculty at The West Australian Academy of Performing Arts and the training of countless successful graduates. His students included Marcus Graham, Frances O’Connor, William McInnes, Robert Taylor and Hugh Jackman. At age 88, he continues to teach acting, a craft, he says, “in which you can never stop learning.” He is driven by his passion, an immense curiosity and a desire to make the actor the best they can be. Lisle has immense knowledge, an opinion on everything and many wonderful anecdotes. For those who know Lisle, you will find this conversation enlightening, great nostalgia and re-affirming – if you are about to meet the man – sit back and enjoy. You are in for a treat!
S1.Ep 22: MAGGIE BLINCO - 15/11/18
Maggie Blinco is an octogenerian who carries with her a life-time of experiences to fuel each character she plays. As an actor, she claims to be in a category ‘all of her own’ as far as roles go; especially when there doesn’t seem to be many roles for actors in her age bracket. She didn’t come to acting until late. Having done theatre at university, it wasn’t until her late 30s that she turned professional. So how has she managed longevity in what can be a pretty tough industry? And what are the work opportunities like when you’re in your 80s? Embracing all mediums; she has done it all - television, film and made her mark creating many wonderful characters in the theatre, from classical to contemporary repertoire. Maggie is also a fine cook! And a great raconteur! She is the inventor of ‘dinch’ – a Sunday afternoon gathering, between lunch and dinner, where she gathers a cast of impressive characters to ‘chew the fat’ and ‘wax lyrical’ over a tremendous banquet prepared by the perfect hostess – Maggie Blinco!
S2.Ep25: MARTIN MCCALLUM - 10/1/19
Martin McCallum’s career trajectory has taken him from actor to stage manager to production manager to the Managing Director of the Cameron Mackintosh Organisation, overseeing the worldwide production of the English musical juggernauts, Cats, Les Miserables, The Phantom Of The Opera and Miss Saigon. As a producer in his own right he has fostered the development of musicals that include The Fix, The Girls, Spiderman: Turn Off The Dark and co-produced Edward Scissorhands, the ballet, with choreographer Mathew Bourne. His working life has also seen a time at The National Theatre of Great Britain, working with Sir Laurence Olivier and Sir Peter Hall; artistic directors with differing management styles and extraordinary vision. Martin has worked on over 500 shows and in an absorbing chat with STAGES, he shares his experiences on just a few of them and details an exceptional life in the theatre.
S2.Ep28: JILL SYKES - 31/1/19
Born in Adelaide it seemed destined that Jill Sykes would pursue a career in journalism. The family business was in Newspapers. Working at The Advertiser (not yet owned by Rupert!), Jill completed a 4-year cadetship and immediately headed to London. She arrived in the middle of the 60s – a decade of experimentation, creativity, invention and a vibrant arts existence. Securing ‘the longest holiday job’ in history she wrote a column for The Evening News, covering swinging London and the Arts. Working alongside the paper’s Dance reviewer, who discovered she had been paying to see dance, she was offered an opportunity to try her hand at reviewing – and so it began! In her role as Reviewer in Australia she has seen an extraordinary amount of production and the work of significant contributors like Graeme Murphy and Bangarra Dance Theatre – following them as they evolved and made their salient mark. Jill has been a freelance Arts Journalist most of her career. In addition to Dance she writes about theatre, music and the visual arts. She also contributes writings on dance to specialist publications throughout Australia and overseas. Jill has been awarded an AM for her services to Dance in Australia. Her knowledge is extensive. Her passion is palpable. She is a font of knowledge. Jill engages with tremendous warmth and a great passion for the Arts.
S2.Ep31: JONATHAN BIGGINS - 21/2/19
Jonathan Biggins loathes all forms of social media. When I invited him onto STAGES, he told me he’d never listened to a podcast! I was thrilled to introduce him to the format. As one of Australia’s preeminent writers, actors, directors and speakers, he comes with quite an intimidating pedigree. I tread carefully, only to be met with his immense charm and insightful opinions. Mr Biggins is thoroughly engaging and armed with the wit we know and crave. He is perhaps best known as one of the creators and performers of the Sydney Theatre Company’s Wharf Revue – a popular date on the Sydney calendar for the past 20 Years! In our discussion we analyse the workings of comedy and how we've perhaps lost the ability to laugh at ourselves. Jonathan was born in Newcastle; his parents meeting at university doing amateur drama. No wonder then that he has embraced a broad career in the arts, achieving excellence in whatever role, form or medium he has turned his hand to. Soon he commences a tour of The Gospel According To Paul - a biographical account of our great visionary and reformer, Paul Keating. And at year's end another joyous offering from The Wharf Revue. He is responsible for some of the biggest laughs I have ever had in the theatre – so it was with great joy – and considerable curiosity, that I sat down with Jonathan Biggins.
S2.Ep34: JOHN ROBERTSON - 14/3/19
John ‘Robbo’ Robertson is a true gentleman of the theatre. A showman of great charm and ability, he has been at the forefront of commercial theatre since 1956, when he dropped a career in accountancy to enter the business of Show! Just like the character of Leo Bloom in Mel Brook’s The Producers, the Accountant turned Producer – but ‘Robbo’s career trajectory saw him commence first as a Stage Manager on The Tivoli Circuit, building his career in a number of roles and working with key production houses including Rudas Productions, J.C. Williamsons, and Kenn Brodziak. It was at The Adelaide Festival Trust where he truly evolved as one of the country’s most successful Impresarios – steering them with extraordinary hits such as Evita, Barnum, Oklahoma and Song & Dance – musicals that captured the audience’s imaginations and made theatre-going, an event again. As a Director and Executive Producer with Cameron Mackintosh’s Australian Company, he oversaw the arrival of the English juggernauts Cats, Les Miserables, The Phantom of the Opera and Miss Saigon - musicals that changed the way in which the product was assembled, produced, marketed and presented. Known to everyone as ‘Robbo’, John has garnered a reputation as a much loved and respected Producer. He continues to be called upon for his sage advice as a consultant and mentor. After all, he’s been there; done that … many times over. In 2003, Live Performance Australia presented John Robertson with its James Cassius Award in recognition of his contribution to excellence in the Performing Arts. The Australian Performing Arts would certainly be the poorer without the instinct, drive and passion of ‘Robbo’. STAGES had the best time in conversation with John. Enjoy!
S2.Ep36: TODD JACOBSSON - 28/3/19
In 2012 I was visiting my home town of Ballarat and attended the Ballarat Lyric Theatre’s production of Hairspray. Playing the part of ‘Link Larkin’ was a dynamic young man who could sing, dance and act with equal aplomb and radiated a quality that allowed him to command the stage and the audience. He was concurrently completing his VCE, and harbouring a desire to become a professional performer. Cut to 2018, and that young man, Todd Jacobsson, has found himself cast in the new Australian production of West Side Story as Tony; and given the opportunity to sing some of the best known songs in the musical theatre canon. Along the way he has certainly served an apprenticeship – working with ‘The Production Company’ in Melbourne, travelling the world whilst working as a ship performer and garnering a hugely sought after role in the Australian production of The Book Of Mormon. He was also a 2018 finalist in the Rob Guest Endowment. STAGES spoke with Todd in the final weeks of the Sydney season of The Book Of Mormon. By now, he is in rehearsal for West Side Story - opening in Melbourne on April 9th, prior to an extensive tour that includes international seasons. It is a thoroughly engaging conversation and reminds us all of the joy and excitement of entering the exciting world of the professional theatre. And that there is no tried and true way of achieving success. We all find our own path and tend to it with hard work, self-belief and incredible passion - all of which Todd Jacobsson possesses in abundance.
S2.Ep38: TONY GEAPPEN - 11/4/19
Tony Geappen has been a regular presence in commercial musical theatre for 50 years. A reliable character actor, blessed with a strong tenor voice, he has regularly been understudy to our great musical theatre actors – and gone on ‘in the role’ many a time. Commencing a career in his youth, he was a child actor who performed on radio and in pantomime. A stint in London furthered performance opportunities and allowed him to work alongside headliner names like Ray Milland, Veronica Lake and Winifred Atwell. Tony was employed regularly because he was reliable, prepared, professional and passionate about the business, He has appeared in an extraordinary number of musicals. These include Fade Out Fade In, Show Boat, Anything Goes, La Cage Aux Folles, Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Scrooge, The Wizard of Oz, Me & My Girl, Evita, Beauty and The Beast and Applause – just to name a few. That’s a lot of nights at the theatre and years spent touring – but it’s also makes for a lot of fascinating anecdotes. STAGES could not let a chance go by, without talking, to the charming Tony Geappen.
S2.Ep41: ALEXANDER BERLAGE - 2/5/19
In a very brief time, Alexander Berlage has confirmed himself as a practitioner of tremendous skill, imagination and originality. As a highly accomplished and multi- awarded Lighting Designer and Theatre Director, he has navigated an impressive trajectory seeing him shape classical works, new Australian repertoire, self-devised creation and the musical! He is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art in Production, returning three years later to complete his Masters in Direction. Delivering a focused and creative flair since childhood, it would seem that his career was always assured. His production of the musical Cry Baby at the Hayes in 2018, garnered a swag of Sydney Theatre Awards. He returns there shortly, breathing life into the musical version of Brett Easton Ellis’ macabre and sardonic tale of a New York investment banker - American Psycho. Berlage’s production is bound to captivate, challenge and enthral. He has guided the new Australian works Home Invasion, The Van De Marr Papers and There Will Be a Climax to the stage, embracing the collaborative experience and finding the nuance of each. As a Lighting Designer he has worked on stages main and fringe - the next being a production of The Lord of the Flies at The Sydney Theatre Company. His productions command easy engagement and seduce with a vibrant and quirky aesthetic - guaranteeing audiences, delight and reward. He is passionate. He is original. He is an intelligent theatre-maker. He is Alexander Berlage.
S2.Ep44: ELIZABETH BUTCHER - 23/5/19
Elizabeth Butcher is a humble hero of the Performing Arts in Australia. An Administrator of considerable brilliance, she has steered many of our Arts organisations to prominence, accolade, survival and celebration; nationally and on the world stage. She was the dynamic General Manager of the National Institute of Dramatic Art for nearly 40 years, and together with its Director, John Clark, steered the school to become the flagship training ground for Arts practitioners. It was Elizabeth who found the site of the Sydney Theatre Company – an abandoned wharf in Walsh Bay – who upon discovery, knew it would be the perfect home for a theatre company. She was present at the beginnings of the Sydney Theatre Company and managed the move of the Old Tote Theatre Company to the newly built Sydney Opera House, for its finale season of plays. Elizabeth Butcher has served on countless boards including The Australia Council, The Seymour Centre, Playing Australia, and the University of Technology Arts Management Course Advisory Committee. She was Chairman of the Sydney Opera House Trust from 1989 -1995; a role that fills her with great pride. Essential contributions have also been made in positions on the NSW Government Cultural Grants Advisory Council and the Council of the University of New South Wales. It is a most remarkable resume and her achievements in Arts Management are extensive. It is her role at NIDA as nurturer, manager and business executive that has endeared her to many, and ensured that young artists received the best training and launch-pad possible. In 1984 she was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for services to the Performing Arts. It was STAGES great privilege to celebrate Elizabeth Butcher and her immense contribution to the cultural life of Australia in this insightful episode.
S2.Ep47: SHANE COLQUHOUN - 13/6/19
The working life of a dancer is relatively short. Not in all cases of course, but a day often arrives when a dancer can dance no more - so what are the options? How does one create new opportunities and future employment? Shane Colquhoun was a professional dancer for 12 years before detouring into Arts Management, studying at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts. It was a change of course that has allowed him a unique opportunity to contribute to various artistic forms and ensure longevity of career. Shane completed his training at The Royal Ballet School in London, before taking contracts to dance with London Festival Ballet and work through Europe and Australia. An engagement as a Guest dancer with WA Ballet brought him back home and re-energised him with a thriving arts scene in the West. He has worked with a range of arts organisations, chiefly in WA. These include Deckchair Theatre, The West Australian Ballet and the Black Swan Theatre Company. He is a champion of young artists - always ready to encourage, support and advise. He serves on ample boards, giving back to a community that encouraged him. And he assists in steering Arts organisations to make their mark in WA and abroad. His enthusiasm and passion are contagious. His vision and energy is impressive. STAGES was inspired to have an opportunity to talk with a West Australian creative and welcome my old friend, Shane Colquhoun to this episode.
S2.Ep50: CAMERON MITCHELL - 27/6/19
Born and bred in Adelaide, it would seem today’s guest on STAGES was born to dance! Dance classes lead to competitive dance, work in musical theatre and then to his success as one of the country’s most versatile choreographers. Cameron Mitchell has acted as personal choreographer for musical theatre star, Caroline O’Connor; provided the steps to youth entertainers Hi5 and he has choreographed for an impressive list that includes Kelly Rowland, Natalie Bassingthwaighte, Sony Music, Warner Music and Festival records. With each dance he creates a unique language tailored specifically for the artist in focus. As a performer he has appeared regularly in commercial musical theatre – Hot Shoe Shuffle, Chicago, Oliver, West Side Story, My Fair Lady and Spamalot. His passion for musical theatre has seen him extend his role to that of a much in demand choreographer, creating dance to support the storytelling and shape the world of a variety of projects - Mack and Mabel, Calamity Jane, Big Fish and Cry-Baby are just a few. Cameron has also fostered the training of many young performers, previously serving as Artistic Director of Sydney’s Brent Street Studios – guiding young dancers to be versatile and to embrace a range of styles. This year he makes his directorial debut at the Hayes Theatre with the musical Catch Me If You Can. Well, STAGES caught Cameron and here’s our passionate conversation.
S2.Ep52: TREVOR ASHLEY - 5/7/19
Trevor Ashley has accomplished a number of roles - Director, Writer, Producer, Musician, Actor, Singer, Drag performer and Superstar. He can now add Impresario to the extensive list of credits populating his CV. Ashley is about to give birth to his very first celebration of international cabaret - as founder and Artistic Director of the Sydney International Cabaret Festival arriving in the city from July 5th to 14th. No stranger to cabaret, Ashley made his performing debut at Sydney’s previous dalliance with the art form; an annual festival conducted at the SydneyTown Hall. Since then he has given us celebrated performances in shows that have affectionately rendered Liza Minelli, Shirley Bassey, Tina Turner and Susan Boyle. He has also presented personally tailored pantomimes, crowd pleasers that have included Black Swan,The Bodybag and Little Orphan Trashley. All have content that launches from the stage into an unsuspecting audience, exploding with tremendous energy, wicked storytelling, joyous laughter and an abundance of naughty. It is these traits that have made Ashley a consummate cabaret performer and have guided him in the selection of an exciting program of performance for the inaugural Sydney International Cabaret Festival. It is a program of which he is very proud and excited. And one that we cannot wait to see! Trevor Ashley was a guest of ours in season 1, episode 4 of STAGES. He returns for a second time to discuss his exciting program and the magical, theatrical form of Cabaret.
S2.Ep55: JOHN GOAD - 18/7/19
For 22 years the Stage Door at The Lyric Theatre in Sydney has been attended by John C. Goad. He is a charming and generous soul, with a wicked sense of humour and a valiant sense of duty. He has seen the comings and goings of many a theatrical as they have taken up occupancy at the theatre, playing a season and then moving on. The Stage Door is the entrance to the magic and illusion of the theatre. Through this door our storytellers pass. International and local names, jobbing actors, ensembles and company members, enter and depart the building from this artery. Some return with other shows and some provide only fleeting glimpses, but all depend on the efficiency and protection of Stage Door Johnny – a nickname anointed on John from the great Marlene Dietrich, when he was working at stage doors in London. Goad was raised in Papua New Guinea, where he developed his love of performance and story-telling. As a member of various theatre groups he toured the country presenting shows in English and Pidgin. The absence of a pen-friend began his writing to theatre, film, sporting and political identities around the world. This often lead to lengthy correspondence and occasional meetings. In 1979 he landed in London to commence employment as Personal Assistant to the late British actor Patrick Cargill. Goad studied acting with Studio 68 and was a founding member of Stage 80. He has worked as an actor, singer, interpreter, and PA; also front-of-house and at stage door, allowing him unique observations of the business from all angles. Sydney Lyric Theatre has housed almost 100 productions in its life thus far. It’s also hosted an array of world names, but one essential commonality for all of the artists is the access they must gain via the stage door. Fair to say, this procession has garnered some fascinating encounters and observations. John C. Goad joined STAGES for an insightful chat about the duty, the discretion and the dedication of the Stage Door Keeper.
S2.Ep58: DOUG CHAPPEL - 29/7/19
Stand-up comedy is an art form requiring tremendous courage, quick wit and unique charm. Speaking directly to a live audience, the performance can deliver the comic terrific euphoria, or bewildering frustration, as the humour lands perfectly or somehow misses the mark. It is acknowledged as the freest form of comedy writing and regarded as an extension of the person performing, who often draws upon their own lived experience. Doug Chappel is a Melbourne based comedian who draws on such experience, citing that he performs ‘routines’ rather than ‘jokes’. His is a career that has provided many triumphs, much travel and a very occasional silence. He takes this all in his stride and as potential fodder for future material. Chappel has been a professional comedian for over 10 years and delivers his work with engaging energy, a flexible face, amusing observation and buckets of charm. He has toured internationally, been the headline act in every major comedy club in Australia, while also headlining Comedy Clubs all over the UK, Ireland and Scotland. He has performed in the exclusive Jongleurs Comedy Club London and The world famous London Comedy Store. Doug has also performed in over 15 Melbourne International Comedy Festival shows, alongside some of the country’s biggest names & he is a popular choice amongst some of Australia’s biggest Football Clubs, Sportsmen Nights, Charity Events and Corporate Functions. He has performed for our troops in Afghanistan, East Timor and the Solomon Islands, played cruise ships, worked with indigenous communities and schools and toured with some big personalities. All contributing to a rich palette of experiences and shaping his comic sensibilities. Chappel is currently in training for a Boxing bout on August 2nd when he takes a different sort of centre-stage. Pretender to Contender gives every-day people the opportunity to take centre stage and test themselves under the bright lights of Victoria’s premiere boxing venue, the Melbourne Pavilion. Doug joined STAGES to discuss the joys and bruises of the comedy stage and in the ring.
S2.Ep62: WENDY HOLGATE, LAUREL JOHNSON AND LIZ KOLISNYK - 22/8/19
Community Theatre experience, performing in plays and musicals, offers an opportunity to develop skills and socialise. It can also provide a safe and nurturing haven to explore burgeoning talents and connect with a broad audience. In this episode we examine the role of community theatre with three performers who have cultivated quite an impressive repertoire of roles, in the work they have done whilst serving their local communities, via their musical societies. Wendy Holgate, Laurel Johnson and Liz Kolisnyk have accumulated 110 years experience between them in their participation with community theatre groups - serving as performers, directors, producers and committee members. Roles that their families continue to do, as generational involvement takes up the baton. These women are old friends and have much to say. They provide another fascinating insight into practitioners who traverse the many stages, of STAGES.
S2.Ep64: AMY MAIDEN - 5/9/19
Amy Maiden seems to have done it all. Entering the entertainment industry as an actor, she has also embraced the roles of Producer, Podcaster, Publicist, General Manager, Advocate, Cruise Director and Front Singer of The Mabels. As a passionate proponent of the Arts from the age dot, it would seem that Maiden was always going to be a Woman of the Theatre - her challenge would be ‘which hat fits best?’ Upon graduation from the Ballarat Academy of Performing Arts she worked extensively for the Disney organisation. Add Mouseketeer to the list! Time in London followed and new opportunities in the marketing of musicals. Impressive organisational skills and an enthusiasm to accept any challenge presented, saw her lead a passionate response to the 2009 Victorian bushfires - collaborating with a team of committed Aussies to present a hugely successful concert, staged at The Palace Theatre in the West End. The attention and excellence garnered by the concert, resulted in a visit to The Palace. Administration engagements at home have seen her in leadership roles at the Australian Theatre for Young People and The Sydney Festival, demonstrating further enterprise and accolade. A new chapter is soon to launch with a move to Melbourne and a return to global marketing agency AKA. A theatre foyer would be incomplete without the presence of Amy Maiden. She is a champion of anyone wanting to create stories for the stage. She’s traversed many exciting stages and she’s ready to make many more stories.
S2.Ep67: REG LIVERMORE (PART 1) - 19/9/19
Reg Livermore is one of our greatest showmen. A trailblazer whose career has encompassed roles as playwright, performer, presenter and one of the country’s finest actors. His artistry is iconic and his pioneer performances in a succession of one-man masterpieces birthed brilliant characters such as Betty Blokk Buster, Vaseline Amilnitrate, Irene, Beryl and Leonard. Such personas perfectly entwined risqué and social sensibilities; and cheekily unsettled, and aroused, an awakening Australian audience. Reg Livermore is a theatrical beast, a mischief, a maverick and a larrikin clown - he is a chameleon who has rightly earned the accolade of Legend. He is a composite super-talent informed by burlesque, vaudeville, music hall, weimar cabaret, the ballet, the opera, the classics and Gilbert & Sullivan - all forms have contributed to a most unique and vital talent. Reviewing the seductive and thrilling content of his 1979 production of Sacred Cow, playwright Dorothy Hewett described Livermore as “everyone’s nightmare and everyone’s dream”. Reviews don’t come more thrilling than that. He grew up in conservative 1950s Sydney when boys who danced or acted were ‘not like other boys’. His individuality would stand him apart on many stages and celebrate him as one of our best. Livermore revolutionised the Australian theatre industry in a pair of high-heels in the original Rocky Horror Show production; he developed a small cameo in Jesus Christ Superstar into a 9-minute showstopping star-turn and found profound empathy in the seminal musical Hair. In recent turns on the musical stage he has given us his P. T. Barnum, The Wizard of Oz, Max Biallystock, Dr Pangloss, Henry Higgins and Alfred P. Doolittle. Livermore has lived a full and fascinating life, bigger than any stage. He’s had a restaurant. He’s graced our television screens and he’s studied at the Ensemble Studios with Hayes Gordon and at the Independent Theatre with Doris Fitton. It’s a career of peaks and troughs, thrills and spills. The performer has not only seized opportunities but created them. Our rich theatre heritage is just that, because of his countless contributions on stage and off. He has offered us a chance to laugh at ourselves, embrace the mischievous and be changed by reverberant and authentic performances.
S2.Ep70: CARLA DONNELLY - 3/10/19
Carla Donnelly is the creator and co-host of podcasts Across the Aisle, Club Soderbergh and re:Discovery. She is a judge for the Green Room Awards on the Independent Theatre panel and has written about theatre for Milkbar Magazine and Theatre Alive/Broadsheet. After several years of navigating ‘beat style’ theatre review for online mediums, she became frustrated with the 24-hour review cycle as it didn’t allow time to adequately consider the performances. Across the Aisle was born from a desire for performing arts long-form criticism, with the podcast providing the perfect platform. Donnelly is a queer history buff and was a volunteer and committee member at the Australian Lesbian and Gay Archives for many years. During this time she produced and directed two events for ALGA in conjunction with Melbourne Queer Film Festival. She has been the recipient of awards for the Best Arts & Entertainment program (2018) and Best Audiogram (2019) at the Australian Podcast Awards. It was at this year’s ceremony that STAGES met Across the Aisle, so it only made sense that Peter and Carla should meet up and chat all things podcasting, in this very enlightening episode of STAGES.
S2.Ep73: JAMES EVANS - 18/10/19
James Evans is Associate Director at Bell Shakespeare. He is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art and holds a Master of Arts from the University of Sydney. In 2018 he directed the Julius Caesar national tour, previously directing productions of Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. He has appeared in Richard 3, Romeo & Juliet, Macbeth and Henry 4. His other theatre credits include Paul and Homebody/Kabul for Belvoir; and Private Lives for the Queensland Theatre Company. James co-wrote and presented the acclaimed iPad App Starting Shakespeare and co-directed the ABC online series Shakespeare Unbound. He has been a visiting artist at the University of San Diego, as well as presenting a series of leadership seminars worldwide. In the corporate sector, James has established and facilitated professional development programs for numerous clients. He is currently directing a production of Much Ado About Nothing, opening next week at The Sydney Opera House, following a National tour. There was much ado in this episode of the podcast as we examined the life and times of The Bard of Avon, and brushed up our Shakespeare! Much Ado About Nothing begins its season at The Sydney Opera House on October 22nd. Bell Shakespeare has also recently released its season for 2020 - productions of Hamlet and The Comedy of Errors to look forward to.
S2.Ep76: CAROLYN CHARD - 27/10/19
Carolyn Chard has an eclectic taste in music; she is moved equally by the heavy beat of dance music or the gentle and beautiful melodies that speak to the soul. However it is the power of the classics and great composers of Opera that propel her through her work day as the Executive Director of the West Australian Opera. The company was formed in 1967 and works in close association with the West Australian Symphony Orchestra. Ms Chard has steered the company for nearly two decades following various arts management positions around the country. Roles at Opera Australia, and Deckchair Theatre and Barking Gecko in WA, nurtured a great passion for the power of theatre. These positions followed her completion of the Arts Management degree at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Informing her decision to pursue Arts Management was her early producing forays in fashion and the rave scene. Working in the banking industry also provided terrific grounding; eclectic experiences indeed, that help to shape the practitioner and guide the artistic journey. Career paths are always fascinating and the rewards can be most satisfying. Ms Chard talks with great candour about her unique journey to arrive at the helm of WA’s triumphant Opera Company.
S2.Ep79: NANETTE FREW - 7/11/19
Commercial and amateur theatre producers who wish to procure the rights to present a musical or play must first apply to the representative of the owners. Whether you're Cameron Mackintosh or the Bullarook Light Opera Company, a licence to perform must be obtained. Intellectual property is then protected and the necessary parties receive their rightful compensation. If you have ever secured a performing licence for a musical or play, chances are you’ve heard the name Nanette Frew. For almost 20 years Nanette was the Licensing Agent for the organisation Warner Chappell. She protected the many shows they represented and negotiated with many schools, community theatre groups and commercial producers, to ensure that every show licensed was presented as contracted. The properties in her care were extensive; indeed she oversaw the explosive success of Les Miserables on the professional stage and when it was released to non-professional artists. Prior to this she commenced her working life as a copywriter in the world of radio advertising in country Victoria. She has also navigated a significant role contributing to community theatre as a director and actor, working regularly with the Genesian Theatre Company and Pymble Players. Nanette is a delight and shares some fascinating stories of behind-the-scenes, and the tremendous care required in the execution of her role managing many of the shows we have all seen on professional and amateur stages.
S2.EP82: HENRY BOSTON - 17/11/19
Henry Boston is the inaugural Executive Director of the Chamber of Arts and Culture in Western Australia; a peak advocacy body for immersion, expansion and celebration of such content in the West. The organisation’s vision is to develop Western Australia as a leader in arts and culture. Retirement from this position has not dimmed Henry’s fervour as a passionate supporter of what the Arts can accomplish. Western Australia has a rich creative output and reach, boasting their own orchestras and galleries; opera, ballet, and theatre companies, in addition to an annual festival that receives world recognition. Henry spent a good deal of his career as a proponent of all that is artistic in various roles at the Festival of Perth, where he graduated from Stage Manager to General Manager. Not bad for a young bloke from the UK, travelling to Australia in search of adventure and along the way embracing the many facets of the theatre - technician, lighting designer, production manager, performer and director. His many skills have been informed by a life-long submergence in the theatre, making and presenting art, while also championing it as an avid audience member. In this episode of STAGES, Henry reflects on the essential need for the arts in a community; and the many experiences and personalities that he has encountered, in an extensive career.
S2.Ep85: IAIN GRANDAGE - 28/11/19
Iain Grandage is a composer, conductor and Festival Director. He has previously been at the helm of the Port Fairy Music Festival and in 2020 will launch his first program as Artistic Director at The Perth Festival. Born and bred in Perth, his excitement at steering the festival is palpable and contagious. He knows his audience and the responsibility of celebrating local and indigenous art forms, whilst also delivering unique and stimulating experiences drawn from an international canvas. Iain was musical director and arranger for the national tour of Jimmy Chi’s multi award winning Corrugation Road, and his involvement with indigenous musicians has continued through his collaborations with the Spinifex people of Central Australia, initially on the theatre work Career Highlights of the Mamu, and subsequently with concert works in collaboration with WASO and Topology. Iain’s concert works have been performed by the ACO, Brodsky String Quartet, Australian String Quartet, Australian Brass Quintet and choirs and orchestras around Australia. As music director he has won Helpmann and Green Room Awards. He has conducted orchestras for Kate Miller-Heidke, Katie Noonan and Tim Minchin, and led the London Philharmonic Orchestra. Guiding young audiences he has conducted and presented the Sydney Symphony Orchestra Education program. His scores have covered a broad range of genres and diverse subjects; Opera with The Rabbits and The Riders, Theatre with Cloudstreet and The Secret River, Dance with When Time Stops and Film with Satan Jawa. Iain greeted STAGES armed with a block of chocolate and a peppermint tea, eager to generously share his vision for the 2020 festival and an insight into his incredible instinct and ethos as an artist. The Perth Festival runs February 7th to March 1st, 2020.
S2.Ep88: MICHAEL LONEY - 2/12/19
Michael Loney has accumulated an extensive repertoire of roles having appeared in over 150 stage productions, ranging from the classics to contemporary Australian and international fare. It was at school that a teacher identified emerging talent and encouraged him to pursue acting. He grew up in Perth, and as a young man ventured to the UK to study at the Bristol Old Vic. WAAPA wasn’t even a thought yet! Upon graduation, roles in Coronation Street and Howard’s Way came Michael’s way. He returned to Perth in 1988 and acted in a variety of shows at the Playhouse, Black Swan and the Hole in the Wall Theatre. These included Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Seagull, Heartbreak House, Noel and Gertie, Speaking in Tongues, The Club and The Goat, or Who is Sylvia? His film and television work has embraced WA production in the series’ Ship to Shore, Minty, Cloudstreet and The Great Mint Swindle. He has relished the experiences of working with Perth directors Edgar Metcalfe, John Milson and Ray Omedei; passionate practitioners with individual and informed directing styles, who all contributed to a vital theatre scene in Perth. It is a treat to celebrate them in this episode through shared reminiscence. As an actor Michael is incredibly engaging and intelligent, on-stage and off. He is incredibly charming and eloquent; and in this episode he reflects on considerable experiences in the theatre and the immense contribution, that Perth based actors like himself, have made to the community.
S2.Ep91: JOHN TAYLOR - 7/12/19
John Taylor is a composer and lyricist with a life long career in musical theatre. He is the composer of the joyous Charlie Girl, a show that played 2,202 performances in London’s West End and enjoyed a celebrated Australian production starring John Farnham, Anna Neagle, Geraldine Morrow and Derek Nimmo. The show was revived in London in 1986 starring Paul Nicholas, Dora Bryan and Cyd Charisse. Drawing from the Cinderella narrative, the class system and the inheritance tax, the musical was one of the most successful theatre shows of the sixties. Further musical compositions by John Taylor include Doddy’s Here, Mr & Mrs and The Royalty Follies. For several years he worked for Richard Rodgers, as Musical Supervisor for London and touring productions of The King and I with Yul Brynner and Virginia McKenna, and revivals of The Sound of Music at The Apollo Theatre starring Petula Clark. John possesses an encyclopaedic knowledge of the musical form and offers marvellous insights into the process of composition, and shares anecdotes from a thrilling career in the theatre.
S2.Ep94: LIZ PASCOE - 11/12/19
Liz Pascoe has been a singer, pianist and teacher for more years than she cares to remember. She practices immense dedication to her work and adopts enormous responsibility in delivering the best tuition possible. Liz originally trained as a secondary English and Music teacher, working for some years in secondary schools, where she honed her skills as a writer, vocal coach and musical director. Since 1990 she has been a part-time lecturer in singing in the Acting and Music theatre Departments at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. The students value the committed guidance from Liz. Her work has contributed to many of them enjoying extensive careers on the Australian and International stage. Liz’s performing and creative experience includes opera, theatre restaurant performance, musicals, music direction and composing for youth theatre, accompanying and vocal coaching. She shares with STAGES her great knowledge of the voice as an instrument and tool for communication and art. I have certainly benefitted from Liz’s guidance and it was a joy catching up with an old friend.
S2.Ep97: PETER KEOGH AND SACHA MAHBOUB - 17/12/19
If you’ve ever had the pleasure to meet Peter Keogh and Sacha Mahboub, you are immediately struck by the immense love they have for each other. They complete each other. Witty and caustic banter always ensues, finishing each other’s sentences and stories, and all fuelled by an intrinsic adoration of showbiz and gossip. They recently tied the knot, having to wait until the marriage equality bill was finally passed. Both gentleman are in their 70’s. While clearly infatuated by each other, the journey to the alter has also been travelled on paths of personal pain and trauma for both. The theatre has been a salvation and an oasis. Between the two of them they have covered practically every role they can in the theatre - box office, model, actor, dancer, dresser, host, wardrobe supervisor, author and producers. They have counted the greats amongst their friends and recall with great fondness the Hollywood royalty of Debbie Reynolds. The relationship began when the MGM star responded to a fan letter sent by an enthusiastic young boy from Perth. The Movie Star eventually became an employee of the pair - and a treasured friend. It is a wonderful life and these two continue to navigate it with wicked humour, eternal resilience and tremendous love. Be warned - this conversation is peppered with much laughter, saucy humour and heavy lashings of gossip.
S3.Ep100: TONI LAMOND RETURNS - 6/2/20
This is a very special conversation as it marks our 100th episode - that’s right, we’ve hit the century and I couldn’t be more thrilled. Helping me celebrate this milestone, as we celebrate her, is Miss Toni Lamond. The legendary Toni Lamond is synonymous with Australian Entertainment having made her mark across all genres; television, film, theatre, cabaret, recording, concert, publications and of course, musical theatre. Showbiz is in her DNA; all family members have contributed significantly to the arts in Australia; and internationally. Lamond was the inaugural guest on STAGES in 2018, sharing with us a long life of triumph, challenge and dedication. She returns to mark this 100th episode and share some insights into an illustrious career as one of our first bona-fide stars. At 87 she is still as passionate about ‘the business’ as when she took her first steps on to a stage, appearing with her parents, Stella Lamond and Joe Lawman. She continues to be an avid supporter of young talent and will embrace any opportunity to share her vast talent and wisdom. It is always a great joy sitting down with Toni - she exudes vast optimism and palpable passion - traits that have been steadfast in a career that has navigated every kind of joy and frustration. She is simply, one of the best!
S3.Ep101: KEVIN COXHEAD REMEMBERS BETTY POUNDER - 9/2/20
Kevin Coxhead celebrates the memory of dynamic J.C. Williamson’s Showmaker, Betty Pounder, in a facebook group titled ‘Sparkle Darlings!’. The phrase, was a famous expression favoured by ‘Pounder’ to prompt the best from her trusted stable of dancers and leading performers. Betty Pounder died in 1990 but has left a legacy that we continue to benefit from today. She was a unique practitioner - entrusted by ‘The Firm’ to travel abroad to view scheduled shows and then re-create them in Australia. She became expert in the styles of the great Broadway choreographers, Fosse, Champion, Kidd and Robbins. Her vast repertoire of shows includes The Pajama Game, Funny Girl and Sweet Charity. Her role extended to the maintenance of shows for their commercial seasons and whilst ‘on the road’. She acted for ‘The Firm’ as a Casting Director and suggested to the producers that an all-Australian company for The Pajama Game would prove to be a winning gamble. It was - and altered the reliance for international performers to take roles in local production. The careers of stars like Lamond, Perryman and Hayes quickly followed. A mentor of many performers, she was pivotal in launching careers, defining an ownership of product by local talent and contributing to an excellence and discipline maintained by the country’s finest. She also made a notable step in Australian ballet history with her creation of the ballet Jazz Spectrum for the 1965 season. Kevin Coxhead worked with ‘Pounder’ in Williamson’s production of Gypsy, featuring Gloria Dawn and then Toni Lamond in the role of Rose. The show impressed upon him a great passion for the theatre and an enormous respect for the woman conjuring such magic. He joins STAGES to share insight and reflection on the legend that is Betty Pounder.
S3.Ep104: NANCYE HAYES (PART 1) - 20/2/20
Nancye Hayes started her professional career as a dancer in My Fair Lady. She then progressed through roles in How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, Hello Dolly! and The Boys from Syracuse. She scored tremendous personal success as Charity Hope Valentine in her break-out performance in Sweet Charity, establishing herself as a bright new star. The accolades came thick and fast, leading Nancye to great acclaim and on to a career that has seen her conquer all genres and theatrical roles; on and off the stage. She has contributed dynamically to the industry in creative roles as Director, Choreographer, Mentor and Teacher. Her vast repertoire of leading and character roles has given us memorable performances as Miss Adelaide, Miss Hannigan, Madame Armfeldt, Mrs Higgins, Mrs Potts, Mrs Lovett, Aunt Eller and Lady Hotham. Nancye Hayes is synonymous with Australian show business and her presence in any show guarantees a consummate artist determined to engage us with her vast skill and extensive joy in performance.
S3.Ep107: JEFFREY JAY FOWLER - 1/3/20
Jeffrey Jay Fowler is a playwright, dramaturg, director and actor. He wrote and acted in the award winning shows A History of Drinking and Elephants. He has performed in and co-created Fag/Stag, Bali, The Advisors; and with The Last Great Hunt Company presented All That Glitters and Le Nor (The Rain). His other plays include Minnie & Mona Play Dead, Price Tag, Improvement Club and Hope is the Saddest. He is a founding artist with The Last Great Hunt, a company “determined to produce quality and relevant new work that is simultaneously artistically rigorous and engages audiences to be moved, inspired and challenged. Within this ethos, the artists have diverse range of aesthetics that results in the creation of an eclectic mix of work”. His post-graduate studies were in Directing at NIDA, soon returning to Perth to embrace the vivid arts scene and continue a collaborative conversation, telling necessary stories, stimulating audiences and making excellent theatre. He has been an Associate Director of Black Swan State Theatre Company in Perth, where he established the emerging writers program and continues the artistic conversation with The Last Great Hunt - the next generation of theatre-makers in WA.
S3.Ep110: JOHN CLARK - 12/3/20
John Clark was born in Tasmania and his first intention was to be an archeologist. However, it was the theatre that called and provided Clark with an illustrious career as a theatre-maker and teacher. His greatest triumph is an indelible turn as Director of the National Institute of Dramatic Art. For 40 years he guided and nurtured generations of practitioners who would become crucial contributors to our Theatre, Film and Television industries. He studied theatre at the Bristol Old Vic Theatre school and at Bristol University, where he designed the set for the first production of Harold Pinter’s play - The Room. A series of firsts would decorate his career as a director, delivering productions of Death of a Salesman in Hobart, a premiere production of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? and a landmark Sydney season of Don’s Party. He played pivotal roles with the Old Tote Theatre and the Jane Street Theatre at a time when a new Australian voice was being developed in playwriting and an authentic style for the Australian actor. When the Old Tote Theatre Company ceased operation, Clark together with Elizabeth Butcher, became the Sydney Theatre Company’s initial Artistic Director and Administrator, overseeing an interim season in the Drama Theatre at the Sydney Opera House. His contribution to defining ‘an Australian theatre’ on local and international stages is vast. He is one of our great champions and a man of tremendous charm and infinite story. It was indeed a privilege and a joy to spend some time with John Clark.
S3.Ep113: JOHN FROST (PART 2) - 20/3/20
In Part 2 of the STAGE’S conversation with Producer John Frost, he describes the rise of the Gordon Frost Organisation and, after the tragic loss of his co-founder Ashley Gordon; the necessary task of taking the helm as C.E.O. of the company. G.F.O. launches onward and finds success with shows like Big River, South Pacific, Hello Dolly! and Smokey Joe’s Cafe. Frost’s production of The King And I, rewards with considerable triumph, scooping several Tony Awards after the production transfers to Broadway. The show hadn’t been produced in Australia for 20 years. It was a major win for Frost, and opened many doors internationally. A West End production followed, with Elaine Paige playing Anna Leonowens. There have also been the theatrical misfires that confirm the business gamble of producing commercial product. Frost ponders these missteps and responds to the comments that have often questioned his choices of show, his casting decisions and his development of original product. He is loyal to a legion of performers who were on the ground floor of our industry and is enthused by any opportunity to develop a new ‘star’. He is happiest when he’s making theatre and still gets star-struck when finding himself working with idols like Julie Andrews, who directed his 60th Anniversary production of My Fair Lady. During the early 2000s, Frost partnered with James Erskine and Basil Scaffidi’s Sports Entertainment Ltd (SEL) and expanded the notion of entertainment, creating arena spectaculars with Grease and The Main Event featuring Olivia Newton John, Anthony Warlow and John Farnham. Eventually re-forming GFO, he gave us The Sound of Music (starring Lisa McCune), The Wizard of Oz (starring Nikki Webster), Annie (starring Anthony Warlow) and Footloose. The repertoire goes on with productions of Wicked, The Producers, Phantom of the Opera, Dream Lover and Legally Blonde. The list is extensive. In 2020, The Gordon Frost Organisation presents Chicago, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Shrek, The Book of Mormon, Nine to Five and Waitress throughout Australia. In part 2 of this absorbing conversation with impresario John Frost, he relishes the triumphs, analyses the disasters and contemplates the future of Musical Theatre and Entertainment. He is indeed evidence of a boy who had a dream, pursued it, and won.
S3.Ep116: LYN COLLINGWOOD - 2/4/20
Lyn Collingwood is known to a legion of fans as Summer Bay busybody, 'Colleen Smart'; a role she played for 13 years in the iconic Australian soap-opera Home & Away. Playing a character for this length of time is an opportunity rarely afforded to actors. Series television provides ample necessity to guide, craft and inhabit such roles. In this episode, Lyn elaborates on the many rewards and challenges that came with maintaining and delivering the character of Colleen. Commencing her acting career at the Sydney University Drama Society, her contemporaries and fellow practitioners included Arthur Dignam, Richard Wherrett and Germaine Greer. Early work performing Pinter, gave her an appreciation of style and a love of dramatic text. Skills that have supported easy investigation of new plays and television scripts. Her professional acting career commenced later, at the age of 35. Collingwood has worked as a social worker and as a teacher. She has also worked in research and as an editor of The Australian Encyclopaedia. While residing in the Inner West she discovered the New Theatre, based in Newtown. She has directed and performed for the company over several decades. Lyn is also a font of knowledge regarding the history of the company, and shares much fascinating reflection of the 87 year old institution. The New Theatre commenced life as the Sydney Workers Art Club, opening with the slogan, ‘Art is a Weapon’. In 2009 she launched ‘Players in the Pub’, a regular series of play readings, providing audiences and actors with a forum for celebrating theatre and writing. The ensemble presents plays rarely performed and that might provide an engaging curiosity to the theatre historian. It is a life in the arts passionately explored; and it was a delight to enjoy some of the experiences, wisdom and wit of Lyn Collingwood.
S3.Ep119: SIMON BURKE (PART 1) - 23/4/20
Simon Burke was recently cast as Hugo, the drag mentor to the title character in the musical Everybody’s Talking About Jaimie. He has entered an age bracket that finds him playing a succession of paternal roles in The Sound of Music, Catch Me If You Can, La Cage Aux Folles and Tommy Murphy’s Strangers in Between. And for two decades he worked alongside a couple of the most famous bears in the business; Teds, Big and Little, in the iconic Playschool. All of them are just some of the highlights of a career that continues to be varied and stellar. At the age of 13, Simon Burke landed the role of Tom Allen in Fred Schepsi’s acclaimed feature film The Devil’s Playground. His performance would reward him with the AFI award for Best Actor and the accolade of being the youngest recipient honoured with the award. He would return to The Devil’s Playground 38 years later, reprising the role of Tom and serving the project as co-creator and executive producer. This television series would receive AACTA and Logie Awards. Identifying the moment he walked into an empty theatre and ventured onto the stage - he immediately recognised that this was where he wanted to be. Burke has been in regular work since his early debut. He completed an apprenticeship ‘on-the-job’ with most of the country’s leading actors; early gigs had him working alongside Peter Carroll, Robyn Nevin and Maggie Dence. He has performed across all platforms; theatre, television, film, cabaret and musical theatre. A vast array of roles in musical theatre have given us his Marius in the original Australian company of Les Miserables, Billy Flynn in Chicago and Billy Crocker in Anything Goes. Acclaim abroad has seen Burke feature regularly in The West End in productions of La Cage Aux Folles, A Little Night Music, The Phantom of the Opera; and The Sound of Music at The London Palladium. Life in the theatre has also seen him attend to the role of National President of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance; a role he served for 10 years working for better conditions and consideration of fellow artists. He was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 2015 for distinguished service to the performing arts as an actor, singer and producer, and through senior advocacy roles for performer’s rights and access to development and education programs. It continues to be a rewarding and busy time on stage and off for Simon Burke. We discussed the many stages he has traversed - and a lot more - in this reflective episode of STAGES.
S3.Ep122: RICHARD CARROLL - 3/5/20
Prior to arriving in Australia, Richard Carroll had only tentatively contemplated a career in the theatre. His showbiz participation had consisted of school productions and writing questions for Quiz programs in the UK. Casting and production experiences in television followed, providing him with essential skills to navigate the creative roles of writer, producer and director. Carroll is one of Australia’s leading proponents of the musical and is a founding member of The Hayes Theatre Company in Sydney; an organisation dedicated to the celebration and preservation of the musical and cabaret forms. His impressive list of credits as producer or writer include Everybody Loves Lucy, Julie Madly Deeply, Darlinghurst Nights, High Society and Sweet Charity - the production that alerted the industry that something special was happening at The Hayes. As a director, his highly successful production of Calamity Jane, starring Virginia Gay, played throughout Australia, delighting audiences with a new look at an old favourite. Other shows seeing Carroll at the helm include Spamalot, Gypsy, An Act of God, Once and Sideshow; an array of product exploring classical Broadway fare and contemporary works. In November he directs the iconic Oklahoma for The Black Swan Theatre Company in Perth. You can also find Richard in a back catalogue of episodes with his podcasts: At The Hayes and Every Musical Ever. Today, you’ll find him on STAGES, reflecting on his journey to Australia and the theatrical delights he has discovered, making a significant contribution.
S3.Ep128: DI ROLLE - 24/5/20
In a career that has never disappointed and regularly surprised, Di Rolle has experienced it all. She has been mistaken for Mrs Michael Jackson and she has worked in the golden years of television variety with the Steve Vizard, and Don Lane, Tonight shows. She’s mixed with rock stars, movie stars and royalty. Her contact book is vast enough to be used as a platform to reach a top shelf – she knows everybody! Commencing her career in nursing, she soon moved to roles in the media, working in many facets of television and radio; ultimately crafting a dynamic and hugely successful career in promotion and publicity; specialising in entertainment. Stints with Roadshow Film Distributors, the Nine Network and the Paul Dainty Corporation provided her with terrific skills in diplomacy and connection, ultimately leading to the establishment of her own consultancy firm, Di Rolle Publicity. Di has handled tours and media relations for a vast parade of personnel that include, Willie Nelson, Ruby Wax, Elton John, Jerry Seinfeld, Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger and Tara Moss. Also music festivals, orchestras and dance companies. She is diplomatic, delightful and reliable in delivering the best communication between client and audience. She clearly defines the role of the Publicist. It was a treat to catch up with Di, to discuss her extensive career and to seek a few fascinating anecdotes.
S3.Ep131: CARMEL DEAN - 4/6/20
Perth seems ‘a million miles away’ from New York City, but it frames the journey of Carmel Dean; a musical practitioner of intellectual and creative power. She has been applauded extensively in a variety of roles that include Composer, Musical Director, Arranger and Pianist. Early training in classical piano and study at The West Australian Academy of Performing Arts, confirmed an ambition harboured by Carmel. She wanted to create, write and perform music, chiefly in the genre of musical theatre. In 2001 she was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to study in the United States and subsequently graduated from NYU’s Graduate Musical Theatre Writing program. A dynamic approach to her work and an easy charm saw her triumph in a succession of creative tasks; transcribing, teaching and accompaniment, building collaborative relationships and demonstrating solid instincts. These experiences soon lead to roles in Musical Direction. As Musical Director, she has guided the Broadway productions of If/Then, Hands on a Hardbody, American Idiot and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. Off-Broadway credits include Everyday Rapture, Vanities and Elegies - A Song Cycle by William Finn. As Composer, Carmel’s first musical, Renascence, was produced Off-Broadway and was named Best New Musical at the 2018 Off-Broadway Alliance Awards. A song-cycle titled Well Behaved Women had its premiere performance in New York at Joe’s Pub in January, 2020. Carmel Dean is a remarkable musician and an inspiring woman. She is incredibly eloquent. STAGES connected with Carmel in the USA. We traversed her extraordinary career thus far, and obtained a fascinating insight into the construction of a musical narrative.
S3.Ep133: HARRY COOK - 11/6/20
In a relatively young life, Harry Cook has achieved much. He demonstrates a dynamic and charismatic persona that is immediately engaging. He has chartered a successful career as an actor, garnering impressive accolades in a number of feature films. He made his screen debut at 17, playing opposite Hollywood Star, Geena Davis, in the coming-of-age tale; Accidents Happen. Harry is also a passionate activist for LGBTIQ+ rights and visibility. He chronicled his own traumatic coming-out story in the candid memoir, Pink Ink. The book won acclaim for its honesty and warmth. Further gigs have seen Harry acting alongside Sam Neill and Bryan Brown in ABC TV’s Old School and in the cult thriller Caught Inside with Peter Phelps and Ben Oxenbould. Most recently he won the Best Supporting Actor award at the prestigious Film Out, San Diego for his role in the feature film Drown. Ever present on social media, he continues to chart a full and fulfilling life. Harry communicates his staunch support of many issues, his great love of family and his affectionate obsession with a bulldog named Poppy. Next month Harry’s new book, Finn, Rye and Fireflies is released. The young-adult fiction book tackles aversion therapy and continues his goal to increase the visibility of LGBTIQ+ characters across all platforms. Harry is a passionate story-teller and is forthright about his personal and professional journeys. He provides terrific reflection in this episode of STAGES.
S3.Ep136: SHAUN PARKER - 25/6/20
Shaun Parker graduated with a science degree but it was dance that became his vocation. He is an award winning choreographer, dancer, actor and counter-tenor whose work has explored a vast range of performance platforms. He is a graduate of the Victorian College of the Arts and a former member of Meryl Tankard’s Australian Dance Theatre. In 2010, he founded Shaun Parker & Company, becoming Artistic Director and a dynamic advocate for dance. The company creates critically acclaimed dance productions, which are renowned for their integration of stimulating choreographic forms, arresting musical scores and theatrical invention. Their work has graced national and global stages. Parker’s choreographic works include KING, REMOTE, In The Zone, Am I, Happy As Larry and The Yard. He is fêted for his dynamic, youthful work that “is so cutting edge it actually wanders off the edge of any single-word definition”. (The Daily Telegraph) Shaun Parker & Company has found various ways to continue working and maintain connections with both its dancers and its audiences during this time of physical distancing. Shaun is this week’s guest on STAGES. He elaborates on creating a dance experience online and the role he relishes; steering an innovative dance company with a passionate commitment to education and creating work that connects with audiences to deliver strong social impact.
S3.Ep140: BRIAN THOMSON (PART 1) - 16/7/20
Brian Thomson made his theatre debut in 1971 when he designed set and costumes for Jim Sharman’s celebrated production of As You Like It for the Old Tote Theatre. The tribal musical Hair quickly followed, beginning a succession of iconic productions constructed for impresario Harry M. Miller. Brian designed settings for the original Australian and London productions of Jesus Christ Superstar and The Rocky Horror Show. He also designed the cinematic staple, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, a cult classic that continues to charm audiences through generations. In 1996 Brian Thomson was awarded the Tony Award for the Broadway production of The King and I. The production also played The London Palladium having originated in Australia. The Thomson resume is considerable recording a vast repertoire of work for stage, film and live performance. He has worked for many of the Nation’s major theatre and opera companies and in 1999 designed Kylie Minogue’s Intimate and Live Tour. He was a Supervising Designer for The Sydney 2000 Olympic Games also. A Brian Thomson design guarantees immediate transportation to the world of the play. His aesthetic is informed, unique and seductive. He is a prolific stage designer and it was a treat to record this episode of STAGES and capture an extraordinary life in the theatre.
S3.Ep143: RHONDA BURCHMORE (PART 1) - 30/7/20
Rhonda Burchmore has chartered a career spanning 40 years and several genres. She is equally adept at cabaret, television variety and musical theatre, with extensive credits demonstrating consummate skill and audience delight. In 2019 she was very much in the public consciousness as we watched her traverse the many challenges and triumphs navigated in the sixth season of I’m a Celebrity Get Me Out of Here. Rhonda’s tremendous tenacity, humour and heart shone through, placing her third and garnering much affection from camp-mates and audience. She has played stages around Australia and the West End, affording her opportunities to work alongside legendary performers such as Eddie Bracken, Mickey Rooney, Ann Miller and Anthony Newley. She has given us star turns in the musicals Sugar Babies, Hot Shoe Shuffle, Mamma Mia, Stop The World I Want To get Off, Mame and The Drowsy Chaperone; and been celebrated as a solo performer with dynamic turns in shows such as Fever, Vinyl Viagra, My Funny Valentines and Everybody Loves Rhonda. Everybody does love Rhonda and she continues to delight on screens and stages. And as the critics attest, she just keeps going from strength to strength.
S3.Ep145: JORDAN SHEA - 6/8/20
Jordan Shea is a Filipino-Australian writer and teacher working across theatre and screen. After debuting his first play, two days shy of his twenty first birthday, he went on to write plays across the independent sector. He then secured a place at the Victorian College of the Arts in Melbourne, to study his Master's degree in playwriting. Relocating back to Sydney, he has become a distinguished Asian-Australian voice in the performing arts. His credits as a writer include: Kasama Kita, The House at Boundary Road, Liverpool, CAGE, Barbaric Truth, Last Drinks, Little Differences, Cascadia and many more that have been developed by major companies, and independent collectives. He is currently one of the Philip Parsons Fellows for Belvoir Theatre. Jordan has also worked as a producer, in venues such as the Chippen Street Theatre, the King Street Theatre and the Kings Cross Theatre. As a director, he was responsible for Keating! which opened the Bryan Brown Theatre, Bankstown as part of the Bankstown Arts Festival. His passion for telling stories is palpable, along with an impressive appreciation of theatre history in Australia and abroad. There is no doubting his commitment to the work. And glowing reviews indicate a talent to watch. Today Jordan is our enthusiastic guest on STAGES.
S3.148: DOLORES DUNBAR - 27/8/20
Dolores Dunbar possesses an energy that equals that of her teenage students. In her role as Head of Musical Theatre at the McDonald College of Performing Arts she contributes to the development of the next generation of performers with a knowledge garnered from extensive industry experience in a variety of roles. A first foray into the business came from an extensive tour with Slim Dusty. The 'smell of the greasepaint' ignited her passion and confirmed her ambition to work in the theatre. She made her professional stage debut in the Australian company of Funny Girl for J.C. Williamson’s. A stack of shows followed for Dolores, including My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof, Chicago, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, Les Miserables and Shout. Other creative roles have seen her choreograph the immensely successful Australian production of Nunsense, which saw several companies and endless 'nuns' perform and tour the work. She has served in Company Management roles, saved the show with script in hand and directed productions of Eurovision, Copacabana, Sweet Charity and Grease. She is always ready with an amusing and celebratory anecdote, that also serves as a brilliant history lesson. Dolores is a walking encyclopaedia of our musical theatre past and the many characters who have inhabited its stages. She is terrific company and a passionate supporter of young talent. Dolores Dunbar is today's special guest on STAGES.
S3.Ep151: DAN SLATER - 17/9/20
Dan Slater is an Australian DJ and Producer based in the United States. He commenced his career in performance of another kind; as a dancer in various commercial musical theatre productions touring Australia and Asia. These shows included Mamma Mia, We Will Rock You, Shout, Chicago and Priscilla: Queen of the Desert - the Musical. Dan's love of music eventually lured him onto the decks, first as a hobby. In 2012 he won the Sydney Mardi Gras Spin Off competition and soon was delivering beats and rhythms to enthusiastic crowds on dance floors around Sydney. Determination, invention and obvious talent propelled him on to sets and residencies at some of the biggest parties around the world. He has been bringing his upbeat, chunky house sound to dance floors across the globe, and his talent for sculpting the energy of a party is in a league of its own. He draws from the progressive sounds of the European club scene, as well as the Latino fire of South America as he moves seamlessly between house, circuit, tech and deep house. Dan's foray into the studio for production has seen him produce remixes for Cher, Alfie Arcuri, Samantha Jade, Carmen Elektra, Zoë Badwi, Tim Campbell, Nat Conway, Britney Spears, Paulini, Ultra Nate and Marcia Hines. His first release, 'Minute Of You' saw him collaborate with JimJam, and featured soul diva Nalaya. He released 'Sold My Soul' and 'Respectable' with Australian singer-songwriter, Zoë Badwi. Their next releases are I've Been Waiting and Dirty Little Secret. Dan is charming, passionate and thrives on his work. He is a master at his craft - conjuring a magic that provides an atmosphere and sound that commands a place on the dance floor. Dan joined STAGES from his home in Miami to reflect on a most unique artistry.
S3.Ep154: PETER ROSS - 4/10/20
Peter Ross is the Manager of Entertainment Venues in the regional city of Tamworth. He acknowledges that “A strong arts scene is recognised as one of the elements that attracts and keeps people in regional centres”. He is responsible for programming and leading the city's live performance and conference venues - the Capitol Theatre Tamworth, Tamworth Town Hall and the Tamworth Regional Entertainment and Conference Centre. Ross has changed the direction of theatre in Tamworth and raised the bar on local theatre. Bringing outstanding artists and increasing audience numbers. In the home of Country Music he has also assumed the role of Executive Producer and Director of the Golden Guitar awards. And celebrated Community Theatre - an opportunity for community to express their artistic leanings and find a valuable social outlet. A self-confessed ‘jack of all trades’ his theatrical life leading to this position saw him navigate a variety of roles on and off the stage. Each has informed and given terrific insight to frame his work today. Growing up in Newcastle, he initially set forth studying visual arts. An opportunity presented itself for a Stage Manager at The Hunter Valley Theatre Company, which he took up with glee. This lead to onstage roles with the company and with the theatre in education group, Freewheels Theatre Company and the original production of Nick Enright’s Property of the Clan. Study at The West Australian Academy of Performing Arts followed, in the Musical Theatre course. Ross developed his performance skills while also writing a musical and finessing his directing ability. He then juggled a series of personas as performer, producer, director and resident director on a series of productions that included Jon English’s Buskers and Angels, Summer Rain at The Sydney Theatre Company, Mary Bryant at The Ensemble Theatre and Hugh Jackman’s Arena tour of The Boy From Oz. Ross was ‘on the ground’ and took producing and directing roles presenting musicals with the Kookaburra Musical Theatre Company. It was an exciting venture that promised great theatre experiences but sadly did not survive its rocky beginning. He speaks candidly of that period. Managing theatre venues is an enormous task, especially in this time of Covid-19. The safety of audience, performers and staff is paramount in any attempt to get theatres going again. Peter Ross is determined to make those experiences a reality and describes the measures now in place at venues, while also reflecting on a vibrant life working in the theatre.
S3.Ep157: BOB PEET - 15/10/20
Bob Peet is a consummate man of the theatre. He is genial, passionate and accomplished, having navigated many roles and positions over several decades. His professional theatre career commenced in 1959 when he joined the Tintookie Puppet Company as a trainee puppeteer, eventually being appointed Head Puppeteer. Bob toured Australia several times with the company and spent six months touring fourteen countries through South East Asia. He then moved into venue management and opened and managed seven performing arts complexes around the country. These included Ipswich Civic Hall, Orange Civic Theatre, The Araluen Arts and Cultural Centre in Alice Springs and the Illawarra Performing Arts Centre. Back in Sydney he became the Manager of the Sydney Lyric Theatre at the Star City Casino. Never one to sit idle, Bob returned to touring and embarked on a world first, touring the musical Cats in a 2000 seat big top! This fourteen month tour covered most of Australia, and led to further tours of Grease and Shout! The Legend of the Wild One. A four year period as Front of House Manager at Riverside Theatres brought Bob's professional career to a close. Bob has been Miranda Musical Society’s resident designer for countless years. He has designed and created sets for over 40 of the company’s productions. Simultaneously he produced sets for professional companies, community theatre groups and schools. In recent times Bob has directed productions of Les Misérables, Annie, Evita, Shout! The Legend of the Wild One, Beauty and the Beast and The Producers for MMS. Bob is now ready to take a break and recently announced his retirement. He will be missed by many of the folk who have had the pleasure to work alongside him; and by audiences who have appreciated the work conceived and delivered by this quiet and humble theatre-maker. STAGES was thrilled to traverse Bob’s story and to enjoy him recount a vivid and magical life on and around stages.
S3.Ep161: KIM DAVID SMITH - 29/10/20
Kim David Smith has been described variously by The Wall Street Journal as ‘slyly subversive’ and Broadway World as the ‘David Bowie of Cabaret’. The New York Times labelled Smith as the ‘male Marlene Dietrich’. All are appropriate labels and signal Smith as a cabaret performer of incredible ability, nuance and sensuality. Departing Australia, he headed for New York City and promptly established himself as a cabaret artist of note. He crafted deft performances that celebrated the glitter, doom and decadence of 1920’s Berlin in his show Morphium Kabarett. Smith’s piano-based program, Morphium Kabarett, provides an intimate evening of German, French, and English repertoire, with many unexpected twists. Smith has toured Morphium Kabarett throughout Australia, earning a 2015 Helpmann Award nomination for “Best Cabaret Performer,” while also enjoying performances in the NYC at Joe’s Pub, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and Café Sabarsky at the Neue Galerie. His cabaret style explores a repertoire of popular tunes and European song in an approach that is inspired by Weimar-era artistry. The fusion provides unique and intoxicating renderings of Minogue, Madonna and Marlene. He is masterful at bringing fresh interpretation to the repertoire of Piaf, Hollaender, and Weill. Kim David Smith’s most recent cabaret programs Mostly Marlene and A Wery Weimar Christmas debuted at Club Cumming in New York, while Kim Sings Kylie premiered at Joe’s Pub at the Public Theatre in 2018, saluting perennial pop goddess Kylie Minogue in an intimate cabaret fantasia. Kim Sings Kylie has since been performed at the inaugural Sydney Cabaret Festival. Kim starred as Salomé in Oscar Wilde’s classic and controversial play at the Provincetown Theatre, and has also portrayed the Emcee in Hunter Foster’s production of Cabaret at the Cape Playhouse. He recently released his new album Kim David Smith: Live at Joe’s Pub. It is available on digital and streaming platforms and as a physical CD. Kim joined STAGES for a long overdue catch-up. We discuss the album, all things cabaret - and a tad more.
S3.Ep166: CHRIS EDMUND - 14/11/20
Chris Edmund is a director, teacher, writer, and painter. He was Head of the Acting Department at the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA), where he had a significant role in developing the world-renowned acting and directing training over 30 years. Actors who trained under his guidance include Hugh Jackman, Frances O'Connor, and Jai Courtney. He is a published playwright with his work receiving high critical acclaim and as a painter he has had several exhibitions, most recently at the Brunswick Street Gallery, Melbourne. His play Dirty Laundry which he also directed, was performed at the Smock Alley Theatre Dublin in 2014. Chris commenced his career in London where he directed for the Gate Theatre Notting Hill, the Riverside Studios, the Kings Head and New End Theatres. He also directed for regional companies. In Australia he continues to direct professionally. He recently opened the play The Other Place for the Fremantle Theatre Company in Perth. He also directed his own play Bacon and Eggs at the Old Fitz Theatre, Sydney. He has been both dramaturg and director for the Australian National Playwrights Conference. Chris has been Visiting Fellow at the National University of Singapore, directing a new play by Singapore Playwright, Chua Tze Wei, taught a series of Master Classes at the Gaiety School Dublin and directed The Caucasian Chalk Circle for Middlesex University, London. His production of The Pillars of Society was performed at the International Theatre School Festival in Amsterdam. In 2015 he was honoured in New York by Hugh Jackman and Master Card with a scholarship in his name, The Chris Edmund Performing Arts Scholarship. He presented the scholarship in 2015 in a ceremony at WAAPA. In a varied and vivid career he has also completed a stint as The Pronouncer on the highly successful Channel Ten reality show, The Great Australian Spelling Bee. Chris is a super bloke and a consummate artist and teacher. In this inspiring STAGES conversation he demonstrates exactly why. Enjoy!
S3.Ep169 - YVE BLAKE - 3/12/20
If you happened last year, to catch the phenomenon that is Fangirls, you are no doubt aware of the brilliance of Yve Blake. The musical, created by Yve, celebrated the cult of fandom in a most exhilarating and engaging story-telling. The show broke box-office records and guaranteed her place as a theatre-maker to watch. Yve is an award winning writer, composer and comedian. She is an alumna of the Royal Court Writers’ Programme and has completed residencies with Griffin Theatre, the ATYP National Studio, Old Vic New Voices, the Barbican, the National Theatre and Princeton University. Her debut play SUGAR SUGAR premiered in 2015, and Yve has also created several internationally touring solo shows, including the acclaimed THEN which played to sold out crowds at the Soho Theatre in London. She was the recipient of the 2016 Rebel Wilson Theatre-maker scholarship at ATYP and a member of the 2017 Belvoir Artists’ Workshop. Yve was one of just 17 speakers at TEDxSydney 2019, and has also spoken at the Women of the World Festival 2018 at London’s Southbank Centre. Yve is currently adapting Fangirls for the screen, co-writing a Screenplay for Aquarius Films, adapting an Aussie kids book into a musical, and developing a podcast musical about Mary Wollstonecraft. So much to talk about, so let’s get going in this awesome episode of STAGES.
S3.Ep171: SUZY WRONG - 10/12/20
Suzy Wrong is a theatre critic and blogger for the Sydney main stage and independent scenes, publishing at Suzy Goes See. Suzy is the industry’s most prolific critic, providing coverage for approximately 200 productions each year. Since 2013, she has established herself as the most in-demand theatre critic, receiving review requests from virtually every venue in Sydney. Commencing a career in performance in early 1992 with the Singapore Armed Forces Music & Drama Company, Suzy received formal training and intensive stage experience all over Singapore and in neighbouring countries. Her work culminated in a “Best Performance of the Year” Award for the play Purple. Suzy employs a depth of understanding for live performance that allows an appreciation of all components. She moved to Sydney to undertake a Theatre & Film Studies degree at the University of New South Wales. Her focus then switched to studying the artistic ecology of Sydney. A myriad of professional experiences have seen Suzy spend three years in the Blue Mountains region running a gallery; and then a period in the child talent industry. A stint in commercial publishing, allowed her to cut her teeth in the corporate world of audience numbers and advertising revenue. Most recently she inhabited the character of the eccentric and glamorous clairvoyant Roxy, an Asian Trans woman, in the SBS television production of Hungry Ghosts. It is a role she has relished and has given her the opportunity to champion the diversity landscape on Australian screens and stages. Suzy has begun the return to theatres as stories begin to be told once more. She discusses being back in an auditorium and the glamour and eloquence that contributes to being Suzy Wrong
S3.Ep174: LEADING LADIES - 20/12/20
In this very special episode of the STAGES podcast we revisit conversations with some of Australia’s Leading Ladies of Musical Theatre. They have landed ‘down stage centre’ in a multitude of musicals, thrilling us with their adept skills of song, dance and acting. Some of these women blazed the way for Australian artists, becoming our first stars, while others broadened horizons and conquered the stages of Broadway and the West End. Each have delivered unique and vibrant artistry to our musical theatre stages. The anecdotes come thick and fast, as well as providing valuable insight into process and the challenges of maintaining a career of longevity. There are laughs aplenty too. This episode is a masterclass for performers. It’s a history lesson of our industry. And it’s a jolly journey with some of the finest artists to grace Australian stages. Aren’t we lucky? “Hats off! Here they come those beautiful girls” ….. Toni Lamond, Jill Perryman, Nancye Hayes, Caroline O’Connor, Maree Johnson, Bunty Turner, Lisa McCune, Maria Mercedes, Rachael Beck, Donna Lee, Rhonda Burchmore and Geraldine Turner. A delightful dozen to cap a year like no other!
STAGES 2021
Stand-by. Coming Soon.
S1.Ep2: MICHAEL NORMAN - 18/4/18
In this episode of STAGES, we speak with Michael Norman. On meeting Michael, you can be nothing but engaged. His exuberant personality leaps at you large, and his passion for showbiz is palpable. The son of performers, he entered the business working in television props and along the way served a stint as a model in the UK, ultimately returning to Australia to assume a career as a Company Manager - on the big commercial shows that tour the country and abroad. He’s been called ‘old school’ and ‘adored by all who have worked with him’. Company Management is a job for a ‘people person’. Someone who can represent the Producer’s interest while attending to the day to day personnel matters of all on board a big show. Michael does both with ease – ensuring that if you know Michael’s managing the show – you’re in good hands!
S1.Ep5: GERALDINE TURNER - 18/4/18
Geraldine Turner has chartered a career spanning 4 decades and established herself as one of few bona-fide leading ladies of the Musical Theatre. A repertoire of high octane roles has seen her lead companies of Oliver (Nancy), Anything Goes (Reno Sweeney), Chicago (Velma Kelly), Sweeney Todd The Demon Barber of Fleet Street (Mrs Lovett) and Into The Woods (The Baker’s Wife); but there is one role, that has escaped her … she ponders why that may be. An artist at ease in any form, she has mastered cabaret, plays, television and film – and has recently extended her accomplishments as a playwright and director. Always frank and armed with great warmth, Turner is the ideal guest on STAGES.
S1.Ep8: GRAEME BROWNING
(aka MITZI MACINTOSH) - 31/5/18
Mitzi Macintosh is a much loved drag identity who worked in all the major Sydney venues over some two decades. Outrageous and subversive, with a heart of gold and possessed with immaculate comic timing, she is the drag persona of performer Graeme Browning. Now residing in the UK, Graeme (and Mitzi) were back recently for his first one-woman show – Mitzi Macintosh – My Life in Lipstick – presented as part of the 40th Anniversary Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras. His knowledge of drag as an art form and of a Sydney now past, is extensive. He is very much one of the custodians of the vibrant drag scene that existed through the 80s and 90s. He sat down with STAGES, 3 days after the Mardi Gras parade and party, to discuss his show, his process, and the art of the drag performer.
S1.Ep11: JANE BECKETT - 12/7/18
‘Dance is a vertical expression of a horizontal desire’ (Martha Graham)– so reads the quote atop Jane Beckett’s extensive CV. A dancer who trained in the classical form, her experiences in Europe showed her the many expressions possible through contemporary dance. A career in musical theatre and regular employment dancing on television and supporting big names in cabaret – evolved into a career as a choreographer and teacher. Jane talks to us about life as a dancer and the influences that have shaped her work to allow the creation of the engaging works she crafts every day.
S1.Ep14: KATE GAUL - 23/8/18
Kate Gaul has been a considerable force in playmaking in Australia over the past 25 years. Directing premiere productions and new Australian works, her directing folio has covered a broad repertoire of stories – The Laramie Project, The Trouble with Harry, Svetlana in Slingbacks, The Ham Funeral and Richard the Third to touch on a few. She has worked with our leading theatre companies and taught at many training institutions, including NIDA and WAAPA. A champion of the work of Irish playwright Enda Walsh, she has directed productions of his plays Penelope, The New Electric Ballroom and Misterman – this last play receiving extensive glowing accolades and huge success at the 2017 Edinburgh Festival. Kate is a vital artist and one whose productions never fail to impress, to engage and to prompt discussion.
S1.EP17: PETER FITZPATRICK - 4/10/18
Peter Fitzpatrick has managed to complete the impossible – a double biography of a father and son who were adept at leaving very little personal information. Peter has managed to garner copious information however, through the detective-like approach of the curious biographer. Using these discoveries, he has recorded perfect portraits and also extended our insight, by installing creative but inspired accounts of what it was to be these men, at crucial stages of their brilliant lives. He couldn’t have picked a more disparate and fascinating familial duo. The Two Thrings is Peter’s biography of both Frank Thring Senior and Frank Thring Junior. These two men had considerable influence in the evolution of an Australian entertainment industry. Frank Senior was a sideshow conjurer turned film impresario, who gave the nation its first foray into celluloid storytelling. Frank Junior, the son, was a flamboyant and outrageous actor of distinctive voice and girth who made his dent in Hollywood and returned to Australia to chart idiosyncratic roles in the theatre; eventually succumbing to self-parody and sorrow. They are a father and son, who never really knew each other but who forged similar careers in story-telling; sharing a considerable likeness in physicality and in their protection of self. Peter Fitzpatrick is a former adjunct professor of Performing Arts at Monash University, a writer, and a director of theatre – he was awarded a National Biography award for his account of the two men - The Two Thrings. He joined STAGES to expand on our knowledge of this showbiz dynasty and to ponder the process of writing, and the craft of biography.
S1.Ep20: FRANK VAN STRATEN - 1/11/18
Frank Van Straten is a performing arts historian, author and a former director of the Performing Arts Museum in Melbourne. You’ve probably read one of his insightful commentaries on the history of a musical or play, in a program you purchased whilst visiting a theatre. Van Straten was the first archivist of the Performing Arts Museum (now the Performing Arts Collection), at the Victorian Arts Centre, and was the director from 1984 until 1993. For many years he researched and presented ABC Local radio’s Nostalgia segment, broadcast on Melbourne’s 774 and the ABC Victorian Regional Network. He has acted as the Historical Consultant for Graeme Murphy's dance musical Tivoli, and given his vast knowledge, has accepted invitations to contribute information to considerable books, speeches, biographies, performances and exhibitions. In recognition of his services to the performing arts in Australia, Van Straten was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 1999. Frank’s passion for our performing heritage is palpable and his knowledge is supreme. With an ability to talk at length on any subject to do with the performing arts in Australia, he is an essential guest on STAGES.
S1.Ep 23: ROD DUNBAR - 22/11/18
Rod Dunbar has relished a life in the theatre. As a boy from Rockhampton he ventured south to Sydney and quickly established himself as an in-demand vocalist. He became a regular on channel 7’s Sing Sing Sing, hosted by Johnny O’Keefe. Rod toured the country, doing gigs with other high profile entertainers and attracted attention everywhere, due to national exposure through the new medium of television. Looking to expand the possibilities of his career, Rod was soon spotted by J.C. Williamson’s Betty Pounder – and encouraged to pursue a career in musical theatre. Early work consisted of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella, The Boys From Syracuse and Oliver; growing into an extensive career performing in productions of Chicago, Company and Merrily We Roll Along for the Sydney Theatre Company, tours of Are You Lonesome Tonight?, South Pacific, Big River and Shout - his most recent performance being Dirty Dancing. Along the way he experienced personal triumphs in the Original Australian productions of a You’re A Good Man Charlie Brown and Godspell. I spent a delightful Sunday afternoon with Rod as he reflected on an extensive career and offered advice on the longevity behind it. And reflected on the disappointment, when an industry you love, retires you. He is a font of knowledge and an engaging raconteur. Ladies and gentlemen – Mr Rod Dunbar!
S2.Ep26: LUCY BERMINGHAM - 17/1/19
The role responsible for the most important component of any Musical, is the Musical Director. From finding the best vocal talents, collaborating with a Director, sourcing and guiding musicians, interpreting scores and leading the show at each performance - it is a role that requires great communication, organisation and tremendous responsibility. Making her mark in this role is Lucy Bermingham. Born and bred in our Nation’s capital, Bermingham was raised in a large musical family. As soon as she could walk and talk she embraced her musicality and the instruments of voice and piano. Growing up she became the official accompanist for a choir, worked as a repetiteur in Amateur musical theatre, eventually conducting a succession of musical theatre pieces. Lucy joined the Australian Regular Army in 1996 and was a member of the Band of the Royal Military College and The Australian Army Band, Sydney – both with whom she travelled on several tours of duty to East Timor, Bougainville and the Solomon Islands. She quickly rose to the rank of Lieutenant in 2005 and became Captain in 2007. Leaving the Army she joined the staff of the Canberra Theatre Centre. While accompanying her brother at a professional audition, she caught the eye of a staff member who was impressed with her skill as a pianist. This instilled in her a confidence to pursue her dream to work in the musical theatre. Moving to Sydney she quickly became a sought after musician, taking the musical helm for dynamic and demanding scores of musicals such as Violet, Spring Awakening and In The Heights – winning Lucy great accolades for her perceptive and passionate work on these productions. In The Heights opens this week in a return season at The Sydney Opera House. Lucy is once again leading the musical side of the production. STAGES spoke to her about the role of the Musical Director and the fascinating path that has lead her to her work today.
S2.Ep29: LUKE WOODHAM - 7/2/19
On any successful theatre production, you’ll find the key position is that of the Stage Manager. The role is a unique function because it serves as a key support to the director and production staff during the rehearsal period, and then becomes the figure in charge of the production during the actual performance. The running of the show rests on their shoulders. It’s a vital role covering many facets – management of time and staff, delivery of a quality product and harmony in the enormous machinery of a big show. At the helm of many of our big commercial musicals and plays has been Luke Woodham. Luke has overseen the life of many productions throughout Australia – these have included The Book of Mormon, Strictly Ballroom, Matilda - the musical and the theatrical juggernaut, War Horse. A graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art, Luke is a native Tasmanian, who hasn’t stopped working, in a variety of projects from corporate to festivals to concert to theatre, since graduation. Live performance can be a pressured environment and it pays to keep a cool head and a methodical approach – all of which Luke has in spades. It was an insightful conversation delving in to the world of Stage Management, all called by ‘the man on cans’ … Luke Woodham.
S2.Ep32: JOHN NICHOLAS SAUNDERS - 28/2/19
Commencing his working life with a passion for teaching, John Nicholas Saunders is presently established as the dynamic Director of Education and Community Partnerships at The Sydney Theatre Company – a role that sees him guide the educational experiences for young audience members who attend the plays in their current season. It is a role that also takes him into schools, guiding teachers and students; and travel, around the world, presenting keynote addresses and attending conferences and meetings. No slouch, he is always on the go and has served time on the committees and as president of Drama QLD and Drama NSW. He currently serves as The President of Drama Australia. John has also co-written The School Drama Book developed by the STC as an approach to teaching literacy through drama. He has conducted countless workshops and when pushed, has managed to get in some shopping and bag the odd bargain – all of this while completing his Doctorate in Drama Education. John is great company and STAGES talked with him about the importance of Arts subjects in the curriculum and why he sees Drama and the Theatre, as significant sources for learning.
S2.Ep35: PENNY LARKINS - 21/3/19
A life’s work in performance has seen Penny Larkins depend on the voice. Carving a career as a singer with acapella group The Janes, studying in the Musical Theatre course at WAPPA and long runs in musicals that include Mamma Mia and The Boy From Oz, have taught Penny why the voice is such a valued and vital instrument for both the singer and actor. But performers are not the only ones to depend on voice. We all rely on our voice as a means of communication, a manifestation of emotion, a tool of survival – the need for vocal expression exists on a myriad of levels. In 2017, Penny entered NIDA to complete a Masters in Voice studies; giving her an intimate and complete appreciation of the workings, maintenance and power of the voice. This leads her now to continue a navigation and exploration of the immense potential of our vocal power. Penny provides a fascinating insight to our primal animal expression. We sat and talked, discussed, conversed and sang all things voice.
S2.Ep37: ANDY DEXTERITY - 4/4/19
After a successful period performing in major musicals around the country for a number of years, Andy Dexterity decided it was time to press pause and re-evaluate what he had to offer creatively - what more was there that he could contribute as a story-teller? The next theatrical phase of his career was to see him fuse his skills in dance, physical theatre, education and sign language into an engaging invention, allowing him to communicate with an audience in a uniquely visceral way. A celebration of this performance style lead him to a series of fabulously engaging video clips on youtube. These brilliant broadcasts on social media lead to choreographic engagements that incorporated Auslan - the physical language of communication. Andy was soon serving a term as the 'Mayor of Wiggletown' - the home of the highly successful children’s entertainers - 'The Wiggles'. And whilst exploring and developing his unique brand, he was invited to be a presenter of a highly regarded TED Talk in front of a world-wide audience, leading them in a performance of Bohemian Rhapsody. A new chapter is about to emerge with a move to the States where he hopes to follow a path similar to his heroes; Fred Rodgers, Walt Disney and Jim Henson. Anything is possible! So how exactly did all of these opportunities come about? What is the story that has contributed to Andy Dexterity? One can’t help but be enthused by Andy’s contagious positive energy. We poured the champagne to toast his new adventure and recorded this thoroughly engaging conversation.
S2.Ep39: CRAIG REVEL HORWOOD - 18/4/19
Although portrayed as TV’s ‘Mr Nasty’, Craig Revel Horwood is anything but. He is a wonderful raconteur, a generous spirit and a thoroughly charming bloke. That’s not to say that he doesn’t enjoy playing the role of Villain - as evidenced by examining his CV - countless pantomimes in the UK playing evil Dames, a lead role in the fourth instalment of the Nativity film series and his return to the West End in a celebrated production of the musical Annie - playing the gin- soaked, top-dog of the orphanage; Miss Hannigan. Horwood is a jack-of-all-trades - and a master of them all. His career commenced in Australian musical theatre productions of West Side Story, La Cage Aux Folles and Sugar Babies. Obvious talent saw him extend his creative talents to the West End on Crazy For You and Miss Saigon as performer and resident director - eventually claiming the creative positions of Choreographer and Director on productions around the world, in his own right. Gigs at the Lido and the Moulin Rouge in Paris prove his versatility and the range of his talents. But the role that has brought him universal attention, and celebrity, is that of the acerbic-tongued judge on UK’s Strictly Come Dancing and the current season of Dancing With The Stars in Australia. His many Australian friends and family have relished the opportunity to spend time once again with Craig. Horwood is a dynamic and thoroughly engaging personality - his passion for his work is enormous and his consideration for any art form he tackles is reverential. STAGES was chuffed to sit down with Craig Revel Horwood. Dare one say ... it was Fab-U-Lous!
S2.Ep42: JAN RUSS - 9/5/19
A variety of performance roles in the ranks of JC Williamson produced musicals, Australian television and theatre restaurant, gave Jan Russ a first-hand knowledge of the actor’s craft. Her great charm and passion for talent, ultimately lead her to a role in which she was able to guide and nurture many actors as they entered residency in one of Australia’s most iconic locations; Ramsay street, Erinsborough. For almost 30 years Jan was the Casting Director of the television juggernaut, Neighbours. Preparation for such a pivotal role was contributed to through a vast array of experiences. Jan sang and danced up a storm in productions of Charlie Girl, Godspell, Oliver, Fiddler on the Roof and The Man of La Mancha; all presented by ‘The Firm’ and guided by a mentor in Betty Pounder. Broadway almost beckoned and a stint in New Zealand saw her working on screen and off - leading to an opportunity to become the country’s first female Floor Manager. Returning to Australia saw further performance opportunities in the rigorous demands of theatre restaurant, offering an experience of working live with sometimes unpredictable audiences. Casting came calling at Crawford productions - the production house responsible for an extensive repertoire of great Australian content. A move to the Grundy organisation gave her a casting role overseeing the population of the Wentworth Detention centre in the iconic series Prisoner. But it wasn’t long before she was on the ground floor of a new series, originally titled Living Together, that would go on to become part of the echelon of Australian Television history and make its mark around the world. Jan possesses an infinite knowledge of the craft of acting on stage and screen. She is a living legend and a fine raconteur who converses with enormous joy and ardour; giving STAGES a fascinating insight to the business of casting and a unique journey in the theatre.
S2.EP45: FIONA CHOI - 30/5/19
It was whilst enjoying a successful career in the U.S., navigating a series of guest roles in high-profile television shows like Homeland, Law & Order, Blue Bloods and The Newsroom, that Fiona Choi was offered a life-changing casting at home - that of Jenny Law, the passionate matriarch of the Law family in the SBS series, The Family Law. Equals part pathos and comedy, the character has become iconic and enabled Choi a unique position in the Australian television landscape; a middle-aged woman of Chinese heritage balancing the roles of Mother and Wife. It’s a universal narrative but the show is a first in its portrayal of the loving but dysfunctional Chinese-Australian family. As can be the want of show business, it seems to have taken a couple of decades for Choi to become ‘an overnight sensation’. She became hooked as a performer during her secondary education, going on to become an avid member of her University theatre organisation. As a graduate of the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts, her early career began in the commercial musicals Rent and Mamma Mia. An impressive theatre resume added recent forays at the Melbourne Theatre Company in The Lady in the Van and this August’s production of Golden Shield. Her present focus is the construction of a one-woman show celebrating Hollywood’s first Chinese movie star and international style icon, Anna May Wong. The show, Dragon Lady, features Choi in an intimate performance that travels through Anna May’s past and tackles her demons with scandalous reminiscences and sparkling musical numbers. Dragon Lady provokes questions about the struggles of cultural identity and the heavy price of ambition. Dragon Lady will premiere at The Adelaide Cabaret Festival in June, confirming Choi as a talent of great versatility and power. STAGES was thrilled to catch-up once again with Fiona to discuss Dragon Lady, The Family Law, the visibility of our Asian storytellers and Motherhood.
S2.Ep48: RUTHIE HENSHALL - 15/6/19
The BBC described Ruthie Henshall as a mega-watt talent shining in all its dazzling brilliance. Scottish print media, The Scotsman commented, she has the kind of brilliant, high-voltage stage personality that can light up whole cities. Fair to say, Miss Henshall is the definition of a Star. Ruthie Henshall made her West End debut in 1987 in Cats, navigating several of the feline family before assuming the pivotal role of Grizabella. This supremely gifted 19 year old would go on to become a five time Olivier Award nominee for a succession of roles in Crazy For You, Chicago, Peggy Sue Got Married and Marguerite; winning for the role of Amalia in the London revival of She Loves Me. Her list of theatre credits is extensive and in an extraordinary accomplishment, audiences have seen her play the three female principal roles in the musical Chicago; originating the role of Roxie in the West End, giving her Velma on Broadway and returning recently to the London production in the role of Matron Mama Morton. As a recording artist she can be accessed in various cast recordings and several solo albums including The Ruthie Henshall Album, Pilgrim and Love Is Here To Stay - a celebration of Gershwin. She’s also an author - So You Want To Be In Musicals, released in 2012, is available from all good booksellers. Audiences cite her as one of their favourite voices; a consummate storyteller who can navigate a lyric with nuance, strength and tremendous vulnerability. She has the gift of being able to affect an audience and elicit a range of emotional responses. She is one of the world’s leading music theatre performers, currently in the middle of an Australian tour. Ladies and Gentlemen ... Miss Ruthie Henshall!
S2.Ep53: PHIL SCOTT - 6/7/19
Phil Scott has many strings on his long bow - actor, writer, pianist, singer, composer, reviewer and broadcaster. Adept across several mediums he has ensured that anyone who is present in his audience is guaranteed several smiles, much guffaw and rapt awe at his rapier wit and keyboard dexterity. He was a pivotal on-stage member of the annual STC Wharf Revue for 18 years demonstrating how satire deftly allows a community to examine itself.The titles alone conjure the sort of treat to be devoured - Free Petrol, Sunday in Iraq with George, Much Revue About Nothing and Pennies From Kevin. He also wrote and performed for several ABC television series’.These include Good News Week,Three Men and a Baby Grand and The Gillies Report. Extending his writing to the narrative form, he has had four comic novels published in Australia and the U.S. with such fabulous titles as One Dead Diva, It’s About Your Friend, Gay Resort Murder Shock and Mardi Gras Murders. He is a cabaret veteran, having first explored the form in 1983 with his solo show, A Legend in His Own Mind. He has appeared at venues around Australia and has been a regular at the Adelaide Cabaret Festival. Most recently he performed a one-man show about the English songwriter Lionel Bart titled Reviewing the Situation and contributed writing and performance to the biographical work Mario, about the life and music of Mario Lanza. His talents have also been present in the evolution of a significant number of cabaret performances as co-creator - The Twink and the Showgirl, Pop Princess, Newley Discovered, Gentlemen Prefer Blokes, Fat Swan, Little Orphan Trashley, Diamonds are For Trevor and Liza’s Back (is broken). And he’s written a couple of Musicals as well. Next up is a season of his new show (with Jonathan Biggins) No Cabaret For Old Men. It will feature as one of the highlights of the 2019 Sydney International Cabaret Festival on now. Phil talks cabaret and much more in this absorbing episode of STAGES.
S2.EP56: NICHOLAS BROWN - 20/7/19
Nicholas Brown is an artist of many dimensions - actor, playwright, singer, songwriter and screenwriter. The Australian-Indian actor has explored many roles, from genial host on Playschool, presenting a multicultural face to a young audience; and a foray into the celebrated Bollywood Film Industry, making his mark in a succession of villainous characters. Direct from secondary education, Brown was one of the youngest actors to be accepted into training at NIDA. Roles in Packed to the rafters, White Collar Blue, Home and Away and The Cooks followed - along with unique experiences performing in theatre at various international festivals. Songwriting and performing has always been a passion - and for several years he hosted SBS Radio’s Pop Desi program, broadcasting the biggest Bollywood, Bhangra and Desi pop selection in Australia. A move to Mumbai saw him develop a repertoire of Bollywood films including Love You to Death, Sedition, Prattichayya and the lead role in the highly successful Kites. In 2016 his play Lighten Up (co-authored by Sam McCool) was presented at the Griffin Theatre. The play told “a universal tale of identity, cultural assimilation and bleaching your bits”. He sat down with Stages to examine his work in Australia and abroad, and the crucial consideration of diversity on our screens and stages; effectively representing and reflecting an ever-evolving Australian population. Nicholas Brown is currently appearing in the Australian premiere production of Come From Away. The musical opens tonight in Melbourne. It plays the Comedy Theatre, before a tour to other States.
S2.Ep59: PETER CASEY - 1/8/19
Peter Casey is one of Australia’s most versatile Musical Directors, having established a career spanning the genres of musical theatre, arena presentations, symphonic concerts, orchestration, television and recording. Over several decades he has been at the helm for many commercial musical theatre productions; guiding, nurturing and supporting talent as they navigate the storytelling required by this demanding genre. Mr Casey has been Musical Director on a vast array of shows that have covered different styles and the work of many composers. These include Les Miserables, The Sound of Music, The king and I, Evita, The Producers, Chicago, Smokey Joe’s Cafe, The Wizard of Oz, Company, Song and Dance, Chitty, Chitty, Bang, Bang, Anything Goes and Annie. He has been an Orchestrator and Arranger for many Australian artists including Anthony Warlow, Debra Byrne, Olivia Newton-John, David Hobson and John Farnham. Peter Casey has worked extensively in South East Asia, co-composing and orchestrating several musical productions, operas and recordings in Singapore and Korea. He was co-composer and orchestrator for the Korean musical opera The Last Empress, which toured to London, Los Angeles and New York, and the orchestrator and conductor for the Korean film, Typhoon. He has been guest conductor and orchestrator for the West Australian Symphony, Adelaide Symphony and Queensland Symphony Orchestras. In 2018 Peter Casey was named on the Queen’s Birthday Honours List as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of 40 years of service to the Musical Theatre industry.
S2.Ep61: GERALDINE TURNER RETURNS - 15/8/19
STAGES most popular guest in our first season was Geraldine Turner. She delivered fascinating anecdotes and observations from a stellar career in show business, that continues to reward and frustrate. There have been more than a few requests to get her back on STAGES for further reflections and wisdom. The first section of this interview was recorded earlier in the year when Geraldine was about to set forth on delivering a role that had escaped her on four previous occasions. We all hoped that Turner had finally been given the chance to deliver a role, tailor made for her extensive talents, life-experience and accomplished skill in the musical theatre ….. the role of Mama Rose, in the musical Gypsy. Prior to commencing rehearsals, Turner talked to STAGES about preparing such a role, the opportunities to play Rose that had escaped her previously, and the palpable excitement she experienced in the recognition of realising Rose was only months away. Frustratingly, that was not to be. And the cold, hard understanding that Gypsy had escaped her once again, was met with outrage and disappointment by eager fans waiting in anticipation. Turner was just stunned. So what must that feel like? How does a performer maintain belief in their ability within a precarious industry? How can a performer and a role avoid merger five times? What happened? The epilogue to this conversation provides a fascinating insight to a unique experience. However, throughout the episode we also get to discuss some of the great Musical Theatre composers that Geraldine has met and worked with – Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Herman, Alan J. Lerner and Lionel Bart – to name but a few. Hers is a rich, illustrious and vital career. So, on with the show – and it seems only right to say ….. Here she is boys, here she is world. Here’s Geraldine!
S2.Ep65: CRAIG ‘POLLY’ PETRIE - 12/9/19
Every Sunday night, for the past 15 years, a weekly Drag celebration has been presented at Sydney’s Stonewall Hotel on iconic Oxford Street. Polly’s Follies is a Sydney institution having commenced life at the famous Albury Hotel some 28 years ago. Presiding over this has been the doyen of Sydney Drag, Polly Petrie; a tough broad with humour as dry as the Sahara, the glamour of Zsa Zsa Gabor and the steely command of Joan Crawford. Polly Petrie is also Drag Mother to a host of novice drag queens taking their first steps into this colourful world of performance. Polly takes a maternal approach to the rookies; mentoring, guiding and passing on her infinite wisdom. ‘Polly’ is the creation of Craig Petrie, a ballroom dancer who was initially discovered working behind a bar, by choreographer Ross Coleman. He was thrust into the role of back-up dancer to many celebrated drag queens of the past, who lead the shows at famed Capriccios - a prominent venue on Oxford street with extravagant shows of big casts and glamorous costumes. In a fascinating conversation Polly gives us an insight into the early scene as a performer; one that continues to engage him in the persona of which he is famous around the world. He explains the origin of the follies and the link with the musical The Boyfriend, that gave him his drag name. It is a life rich with fabulous experiences and encounters. We recorded this conversation in his famous ‘caravan’, a place that accommodates his extensive wardrobe. What a treat to sit down with ‘Miss Polly Petrie’.
S2.Ep68: REG LIVERMORE (PART 2) - 23/9/19
In this companion episode we continue our conversation with Australian Theatrical Icon, Reg Livermore. In part one he discussed growing up in a conservative 1950’s Sydney, his training, his influences and his many forays into musical theatre. In part two he reflects on his long career and examines his series of ground-breaking one-man shows, beginning with Betty Blokk Buster and continuing through Wonder Woman and Sacred Cow. Livermore is a theatrical beast, a mischief, a maverick and a larrikin clown - he is a chameleon who has rightly earned the accolade of Legend. He is a composite super-talent informed by burlesque, vaudeville, music hall, weimar cabaret, the ballet, the opera, the classics and Gilbert & Sullivan - all forms have contributed to a most unique and vital talent. It’s a career of peaks and troughs, thrills and spills. The performer has not only seized opportunities but created them. Our rich theatre heritage is just that because of his countless contributions, on stage and off. He has offered us a chance to laugh at ourselves, embrace the outrageous and be changed by a reverberant and authentic repertoire of dynamic performances.
S2.Ep71: ROGER LEMKE - 10/10/19
Roger Lemke is one of Australia’s most successful operatic and concert artists with a career spanning over 30 years performing in Opera, Music Theatre, Film and Concert. His career began in Musical Theatre, leading to the chance encounter with a singing teacher who suggested he might have a voice for Opera. He is the recipient of a number of prestigious vocal competitions and scholarships including both Melbourne and Sydney Sun Arias in the same year, and the Metropolitan Opera award. He also won the Bel Canto Foundation Chicago Scholarship studying with internationally acclaimed singer Carlo Bergonzi in Italy. He has appeared with all the major Australian and New Zealand companies, in a diverse range of principal roles including Papageno in The Magic Flute, Taddeo in The Italian Girl in Algiers, Giuseppe in The Gondoliers, Count Boni in The Gypsy Princess, two seasons as Marcello in the highly acclaimed Baz Luhrmann production of La Boheme and The Engineer in the world premiere of The Eighth Wonder by Alan John. Return visits to the musical theatre have provided him opportunities to play Inspector Javert in Les Miserables and Old Deuteronomy in Cats. His extensive knowledge of the industry and repertoire provides the solid platform from which he now mentors, manages and coaches today’s young artists embarking on their own careers in vocal performance.
S2.Ep74: ZOE TERAKES - 19/10/19
Zoe Terakes exudes a passion for her craft. She is immediately engaging on, or off the stage. She is a young actor set on a path to make the best work possible and with considerable credits assembled in her short career thus far, future prospects on stage and screen look assured, and mark her as an artist to watch. She made her stage debut in Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge. Terakes’ performance as Catherine earned her a Sydney Theatre Award for Best Female Actor in a Supporting Role in an Independent Production. Zoe also received a Helpmann nomination for this performance at the MTC. Her ‘Catherine’ was seen by audiences at The Old Fitz theatre, the Melbourne Theatre Company and The Ensemble theatre; contrasting spaces offering adjustment and discovery for the actor. Other theatre credits include A Doll’s House Part II for MTC and Metamorphoses and The Wolves for The Old Fitz. Zoe made their screen debut in the critically acclaimed Janet King for the ABC opposite Marta Dusseldorp, whilst completing her HSC. She will next be seen in the Foxtel series The End. Most recently, Zoe co-starred in the feature film Ellie & Abbie (and Ellie’s Dead Aunt), the short film The Craft, which premiered at FlickerFest, and the forthcoming web-series Bondi Slayer. Her enthusiasm for performance is contagious. Exposure to various platforms and working alongside some of the country’s leading actors are offering her a unique opportunity to refine her craft and indeed, to make the best work she possibly can.
S2.Ep77: TOMMY MURPHY - 31/10/19
Collaboration is the essential life-force of the theatre. Disparate roles work together to produce an experience that is ephemeral; but if successful, the memory may last a lifetime. The adventure often begins with the Playwright, who drafts a blue-print of words and character and action that is then nurtured by a team and its nurturing wordsmith ‘parent'. Tommy Murphy is such a ‘parent’. He is one of our eminent story-tellers and collaboration comes easy. It is a process he relishes. Perhaps it’s being one of eight children that has fostered the skill. Tommy Murphy is an award-winning playwright with recent productions in New York, San Francisco, Indiana, Los Angeles, Auckland, Melbourne and Sydney. He is the only playwright to win the NSW Premier’s Award (a prestigious national writing prize) in successive years. Tommy is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art (Director’s course) and a former writer in residence at the Griffin Theatre Company. His plays include an adaptation of Marlowe’s Massacre at Paris, Holding The Man, Strangers in Between, Troy’s House, Gwen in Purgatory, Saturn’s Return, Mark Colvin’s Kidney and Precipice. His next play is Packer & Sons - a story that puts four generations of the Packer family on stage; men who loomed large over Sydney for nearly 100 years. It receives its debut season at the Belvoir Street Theatre from November 16th through to December 22nd. Tommy sat down with STAGES to discuss playwriting, process and the Packers.
S2.Ep80: DR RICHARD WALLEY - 10/11/19
Dr. Richard Walley is an artist of many disciplines - a musician, dancer, painter, writer, indigenous activist and educator. He has spent over 40 years educating Australia and the world on Nyoongar culture and identity through the arts. A role model for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people alike, Richard continues to push boundaries, continually developing personally whilst always focussed on the bigger ‘community’ picture of the Arts, Culture and Environment. In 1978, Richard formed the Middar Aboriginal Theatre which subsequently has taken Nyoongar culture to 32 countries, celebrating and affirming indigenous culture and narrative. A former Australia Council Board member, he was named a State Living Treasure in 2015 for his lifetime contribution to arts and culture in Western Australia. Richard became involved with Aboriginal politics at an early age, having active involvement in the formation and operation of the Aboriginal Housing Board, the Aboriginal Medical Service, Legal Service and the New Era Aboriginal Fellowship. Through his involvement, Richard first became aware of the potential of Aboriginal culture to give the Nyoongar people a sense of pride and identity. This awareness grew throughout the years, as Richard learned about his own culture, moving into the world of Theatre and the Arts. It was a privilege to sit down with Richard as he shared his proud Nyoongar heritage and the power of artistic disciplines to transform and teach and extend our humanity.
S2.Ep83: JANET HOLMES À COURT - 21/11/19
Janet Holmes à Court grew up in a household infused with the arts. Her parents instilled in her an enduring love of art, music and theatre. She is charming, astute and informed; recognising the supreme necessity for us all to celebrate and embrace the arts across all genres. She studied chemistry at the University of Western Australia and subsequently worked as a science teacher; relishing her time in the classroom. Long-time patronage across all artistic disciplines has provided her with immense appreciation and respect for all art forms and the practitioners who craft them. Ms Holmes à Court is recognised as a leading philanthropist and a major collector of indigenous art, which contributes to an extensive Art collection, much of which is loaned to public galleries around the world. She has chaired the West Australian Symphony Orchestra, the Art Gallery of Western Australia and The Black Swan Theatre Company; and currently serves as Chair of the Australian Children’s Television Foundation. She is a Board Member of the Australian National Academy of Music (ANAM) and the Australian Major Performing Arts Group (AMPAG). Hers is a career of vast artistic governance and leadership. Ms Holmes à Court was a founding patron and chairperson of Western Australia’s Black Swan Theatre Company, recognising the enormous benefit of a state theatre company to traverse local and indigenous stories, and to champion a repertoire of classic, and international works. She speaks with enormous passion and a keen awareness of the many artistic expressions being celebrated in Western Australia.
S2.Ep86: GALE EDWARDS (PART 1) - 29/11/19
There are very few Australian directors who can lay claim to have conquered the stages of the world. This accolade belongs to the trailblazing Gale Edwards; one of our most acclaimed directors. In a career spanning more than 30 years she has rewarded audiences with visceral and vibrant story-telling. Gale is incredibly charming, candid and passionate. She speaks freely and insightfully about her craft as one of our most celebrated artists. As a preeminent story-teller she is the first Australian to have opened large commercial musicals on Broadway and in the West End. She is the only Australian to have directed at The Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford-on-Avon - and the only woman to have directed on their main-stage. Born and raised in Adelaide her early life was impacted by family tragedy and trauma. This galvanised the young Gale to invest in her academic study and due to necessity; surprisingly realise an early training in direction in boundless visits to the cinema; often seeing individual films numerous times. She started her career in 1981 as the founding Artistic Director of the Adelaide-based Theatre company, Energy Connection, an innovative company that created and performed original, devised works with young performers. After graduating from NIDA, she remained on the staff there for four years teaching young actors and directing plays. It was here that she developed her love of the Classics and Shakespeare in particular. Gale has directed all genres of theatre and opera nationally and internationally. She has directed for all Australia’s State Theatre Companies, Opera Australia, Victoria State Opera, South Australian Opera Company, New Zealand International Festival of the Arts, English National Opera, Royal Shakespeare Company and the Chichester Festival. Her vast musical theatre output has seen her direct the original production of The Boy From Oz, Jerry Springer the Opera for the Sydney Opera House and a new production of The Rocky Horror Show. Internationally she has worked on musicals for Andrew Lloyd Webber and Cameron Mackintosh. Gale Edwards is frank, astute, intuitive and possesses an infectious sense of humour. It is evident that she adores her role as a story-teller and is most reverential in her respect for the texts to which she gives life. The incredible joy she experiences in being in a rehearsal room is palpable. Hers is a fascinating story and it was a privilege to spend time with Gale as she shared insight, assessment and anecdotes of a celebrated and trailblazing career.
S2.Ep89: NATE EDMONDSON - 3/12/19
Sound has been used to evoke emotion, reflect mood and underscore action in the arts since time began. The contribution of the Sound Designer in the theatre, provides a further dimension in which to elicit the world of the play. Nate Edmondson is an international, multi-award winning composer, sound designer and occasional musical director. His work crosses all mediums - film, television, radio, advertising and stage. Originally from Western Australia, Nate grew up amongst the remote red dirt and spinifex of the Pilbara region, before moving to Perth. There he trained as both a classical and jazz trombonist, in addition to fronting several local bands as a multi-instrumentalist singer/songwriter and arranger. Nate is a graduate of the National Institute of Dramatic Art, where he trained under the mentorship of some of Australia’s finest musicians and sound designers. He has worked extensively in the theatre and live event industries; his detailed sound designs and music scores can be heard on stages around the world. In 2015, Nate’s sound design work made international headlines when a social media campaign petitioning pop star, Taylor Swift, for the use of one of her hits for the Belvoir production of Seventeen, was successful, with Swift personally granting approval via Twitter, in an unprecedented move. He creates designs in intimate spaces and large auditoriums; all with enormous detail providing audiences with a powerful aural hypnosis that transports them directly to the world of the play. He is a passionate advocate for the artistry of sound design and how it extends our theatre experience. He is also incredibly fascinating and eloquent detailing how the youngest of all production disciplines evolved. Nate Edmondson’s next sound design can be heard in Kate Gaul's production of HMS Pinafore, playing The Hayes Theatre from November 8th to December 14th.
S2.Ep92: EVA GRACE MULLALEY - 8/12/19
The Yirra Yaakin Theatre Company is Australia’s leading Aboriginal theatre company, based in Perth, WA, in the heart of the Nyoongar Nation. Formed in 1993, Yirra Yaakin provides the means and environment to assist the nurturing of Aboriginal community cultural development. Yirra Yaakin means ‘stand tall’ in the Nyoongar language. At the commencement of 2019, Yamaji woman, Eva Grace Mullaley was appointed as Artistic Director. Eva Grace grew up predominantly in the South West of Western Australia and moved to Perth in 2002. She is a graduate of the Aboriginal Theatre course at WAAPA. She soon joined Yirra Yaakin as an actor performing in Whaloo is That You?, and with Black Swan in the production, Tear From a Glass Eye. In 2005 Eva Grace lectured the Aboriginal students at WAAPA on script writing and directed the collaborative piece Black Tracks. She assisted David Milroy during the Windmill Baby creative development for Yirra Yaakin and was Stage Manager during its first public season. She has keenly embraced the extensive roles existing in the theatre. Such work has included roles as a tour manager, producer, event manager, dramaturge, actor and served extensive time in administration - essential experiences that have informed her work as a director. Eva Grace looks forward “to continuing such an inspirational legacy and building on the shoulders of those that came before (her) to lead Yirra Yaakin to a new era.”
S2.Ep95: IVAN KING - 12/12/19
In a boutique space, below His Majesty’s Theatre in Perth is a vast collection of arts heritage. It celebrates and recalls the immense cultural past of live performance through Western Australia. The Museum of Performing Arts was founded in 2001 by Perth’s living treasure, Mr Ivan King. The seed germinated in the 70’s when ‘The Maj’ closed for refurbishment and Ivan commenced collecting materials. The collection would contribute to an essential story that would inform audiences and practitioners of today. An essential reminder of what had gone before. The Museum of Performing Arts houses more than 40,000 catalogued items of theatre memorabilia and includes costumes, photographs, scripts and scores - the ghostly ‘footprints’ of artists such as Gladys Moncrieff, Margot Fonteyn, Katherine Hepburn, Anna Pavlova and Dame Nellie Melba echo through the theatre where the museum is home. It takes a unique identity with a keen eye, a huge passion and a broad knowledge of the Arts to gather, curate and maintain such a collection. Ivan King is a most genial host and celebrant. He is a veteran of over 100 plays, musicals and theatre events as actor, writer and director. As the founder of the Museum of Performing Arts he has created to date, 54 exhibitions highlighting the history of entertainment in Perth. Ivan sat down with STAGES in Dressing Room Number One at His Majesty’s Theatre. The anecdotes flew thick and fast, always demonstrating an enormous passion for the theatre and the people who make it.
S2.Ep98: HAYDEN TEE - 19/12/19
Hayden Tee is the boy from New Zealand who developed a career in Australia and then proceeded to conquer theatres around the world, with star turns in musicals as diverse as Les Miserables and Matilda. Curiously, he gave us seductive and thrilling villains in both - Inspector Javert and Miss Trunchbull. Though he would call them Antagonists. He recently returned to Auckland to share his acclaimed performance as Javert with his homeland. Hayden has carved out an impressive list of credits in musical theatre, theatre, cabaret and also make-up design – an accomplished make-up artist, you may have caught one of his many make-up tutorials online. He is a master of transformation and aesthetic seduction, employing theatrical and cosmetic make-up to contribute to illusion magnificently. Hayden’s Australian theatre credits include magnetic performances in Only Heaven Knows, Titanic: The Musical, South Pacific, Little Women: The Musical, The Wizard of Oz and Dead Man Walking. His extensive International work has included Being Earnest, 1776, My Fair Lady, Into The Woods and Kiss Me Kate. His mastery of the form is vast and incisive. He has just released an exciting new recording. The album is called Hayden Tee: Face To Face. It features a full orchestra backing with Hayden delivering musical theatre favourites and also capturing a few of the dynamic performances he has given in a stellar career. STAGES has wanted to record a conversation with Hayden since the podcast begun but alas geography was never on our side. It was a treat to finally be able to sit down with Mr Tee on a recent visit to Sydney as he prepared for a concert tour.
S3.Ep102: JILL PERRYMAN AND KEVAN JOHNSTON (PART 1) - 13/2/20
Australia’s First Lady of musical comedy, Jill Perryman made her stage debut at the tender age of two when her parents were touring in White Horse Inn. Her first big break came whilst she was in the chorus of Call Me Madam when as understudy to Evie Hayes she was called upon to play the leading role. Jill went from success to success appearing in J.C.Williamson’s South Pacific, Paint Your Wagon, The Pajama Game and Can Can. Further triumphs followed with legendary performances through a stellar career; No, No Nanette, Annie, A Little Night Music and The Boy From Oz. Kevan Johnston's hard work, early in life, studying all forms of dance under his mother Peggy Esler’s tuition paid off, for when he auditioned for Call Me Madam, he landed the role of principal dancer. He impressed the directors because he was again made principal dancer for several other shows including Paint Your Wagon, Can Can and The Pajama Game, where he became one of Australia’s first Fosse dancers alongside Tikki Taylor and Frank Sheldon, in the iconic Steam Heat number. Parallel careers as a choreographer and Television producer have also offered Kevan opportunities to contribute impressively to entertainment in Australia. The pair have managed careers which have offered them several opportunities to work together in productions. These have included Wallflowering, Carnival, The One Day of the Year, Annie and celebrated turns in the GFO national tour of Hello Dolly! - a theatrical gift which saw Jill in the role of Dolly Levi and Kevan leading the waiter’s gallop as Rudy, in the famed Harmonia Gardens’ sequence. Jill and Kevan are luminaries of the Australian stage; not only in musical theatre, but also with extensive credits in stage drama, television and film, across several decades. It was a super treat to catch up with them and I know you’ll be delighted too, hearing them in conversation with recollections of a vast contribution to the Arts in Australia.
S3.Ep105: NANCYE HAYES (PART 2) - 23/2/20
Welcome to this companion episode celebrating the magnificent Nancye Hayes. In part 1 we learned of a determination through childhood to emulate the great stars of the MGM musicals who figured prominently in her early cinema attendance. And then onto a career developing her talents in a succession of J.C. Williamson musicals, before eventually landing the leading role of Charity Hope Valentine in Sweet Charity; helping to cement the knowledge that Australian performers certainly had what it took to lead a company and tell stories in imported musicals. The accolades came thick and fast, leading Nancye to great acclaim and on to a career that has seen her conquer all genres and theatrical roles; on and off the stage. She has contributed dynamically to the industry in creative roles as Director, Choreographer and Mentor. Her vast repertoire of plays and musicals has given us dynamic performances in Sweeney Todd, Nine, Showboat, Pippin, The Importance of Being Earnest, Same Time Next Year, Steel Magnolias and Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks. Nancye Hayes is one of our great elders and her vast warmth and contribution to the Arts in Australia have made her a much loved Teacher, Leader and Actor.
S3.Ep108: ROBERT LOVE - 5/3/20
Robert Love is the Director of the City of Parramatta’s Riverside Theatres; a role he relishes, overseeing one of the most highly attended venues in the country. In addition to his role in administration, he might be found changing a light-bulb or pitching in with any task essential in the efficient running of an Arts venue. The theatres host a variety of entertainments - drama, art-house cinema, multi-cultural storytelling, dance, stand-up comedy, cultural celebrations and, a resident company - the National Theatre of Parramatta. It is a venue that embraces the diversity of the community it services. Love founded his own theatre company - ‘Toe Truck Theatre’ in 1976, providing a valuable social and educational role to students in regional and urban schools. Subsequent roles travelled management positions with organisations such as the University of Sydney’s Seymour Centre, the State Theatre Company of South Australia, the Sydney Theatre Company, Fox Studios and News limited; eventually taking up the baton at Riverside Theatres in 2000. He has been made a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia for ‘significant service to the performing arts, particularly in Western Sydney, as an administrator, and as a supporter of Independent artists’. He joined STAGES for a riveting conversation, pondering the importance of the Arts in nourishing a population, the dilemma of Arts funding, the future of theatre as an art form; and to reflect on a stellar career as a leader at various Arts organisations.
S3.Ep111: ROLAND ROCCHICCIOLI - 14/3/20
Roland Rocchiccioli is a man of the theatre. His, is a celebrated career of more than 50 years. Comedian Billy Connolly said of him: “His name is like alphabet soup.” Rocchiccioli spent his childhood watching the unfolding dramas in Gwalia, a town on the north eastern goldfields of Western Australia. He was schooled by nuns and monks in New Norcia. It was a unique childhood recounted in his engaging memoir ‘And Be Home Before Dark’. A life in the Arts eventually called and in1966 he served an apprenticeship with a theatre company in Perth, learning much of the craft that would support him in his future roles - stage manager, actor, director, playwright, company manager and broadcaster. He has worked with the impresarios Harry M. Miller and Ken Brodziak on productions of The Rocky Horror Show, Hair and Jesus Christ Superstar. He’s worked on Broadway and The West End with luminaries like Ingrid Bergman, Debbie Reynolds and Googie Withers. He has written the plays ‘Now You Can Eat Father Christmas’ and ‘Letters From The Heart’. A new play is in the works. As a broadcaster he can be heard regularly on radio sharing his infinite knowledge of all things entertainment. Roland is wonderful company, erudite and charming.
S3.Ep114: SANDRA BATES - 26/3/20
“The success of a theatre company comes down to providing good yarns that make audiences laugh and cry, and which take them on a journey” - Sandra Bates retired as Artistic Director of The Ensemble Theatre in Sydney in 2015 after 30 years in the role. This innings makes her the longest serving Artistic Director in Australia. In fact the company has only had 3 A.D.s in its 62 year history. Sandra Bates’ term followed that of the company’s founder, Hayes Gordon. It was Gordon who was running acting classes that the then pharmacist Bates enrolled in, to pursue her artistic leanings. She had been an avid participant in school drama and was subsequently offered a scholarship for training in England at the end of her secondary education, but cautious parents advised a qualification and tertiary education to be essential. Theatre would be a constant call however. It was Hayes Gordon who advised Sandra that she would be an effective director. She began at The Ensemble as A.D. of the Studio’s Rep.Theatre, eventually being appointed Artistic and Governing Director of the theatre in 1986. She introduced a subscription series to the company and continued to navigate a remarkable story of theatrical survival for the company who have only ever existed on box office and donations. They receive no public funding. Her extensive theatrical output includes plays by David Williamson - Emerald City and The Jack Manning Trilogy; Six Dance Lessons in Six Weeks, Barry Creyton’s Double Act, Miller's Death of a Salesman and her final show at the theatre, Neil Simon's The Good Doctor. She has relished making theatre and telling stories; and in doing so, has affected the lives of audience members in immeasurable ways. Sandra is thrilled with retirement. It was a delight to meet this theatrical elder and to be taken on her incredible journey in this episode of STAGES.
S3.Ep117: GILL MINERVINI - 9/4/20
For over 30 years Gill Minervini has produced some of Australia’s most engaging and successful international events and festivals, creating unforgettable, immersive experiences for diverse audiences. She is one of Australia’s creative leaders - from festival, event and theatre director to television and radio presenter, food curator and producer - Gill’s experience means successful delivery of outstanding creative ideas, every time. Early creative roles included a position as the inaugural Festival Director for the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras in the late 1980’s; an extraordinary time for the gay community. For 17 years she was Creative Director for the City of Sydney, overseeing annual events that included Chinese New Year and Christmas celebrations. The canvases on which she creates are vast and varied. Her event, festival and theatre accomplishments include The Rugby League World Cup 2017, Art Moves - a Public Art Project, Newtown Festival, Barangaroo Welcome Celebrations, Winter Feast Dark MoFo inTasmania and the Australian Theatre of the Deaf. Such product also allows her a plethora of platforms on which to present such expansive production. A mantra she shares with her teams states that they are ‘in the business of creating memories’. All of us can recall the first time we shared in the palpable experience of a particular event or festival. It is an immersion amongst community and the theatre of life. Vital experiences that feed into the human condition. Gill Minervini loves her job and communicating stories. It’s obvious in this conversation. She provides insight, reflection and passion for the craft of making Big Art and telling vital stories with a broad palette.
S3.Ep120: SIMON BURKE (PART 2) - 26/4/20
Simon Burke dislikes waiting in the wings. His immense passion and energy would see him ideally leave the dressing room to arrive directly on stage and into the job of story-telling. It is a routine that can easily be applied to Simon off the stage. He moves with great enthusiasm towards each project and is eager to craft his own projects too; or provide support to colleagues and industry in advocacy roles. A vast array of performances in musical theatre have given us his Marius in the original Australian company of Les Miserables, Billy Flynn in Chicago and Billy Crocker in Anything Goes. Acclaim abroad has seen Burke feature regularly in The West End in productions of La Cage Aux Folles, A Little Night Music, The Phantom of the Opera; and The Sound of Music at The London Palladium. His passion for the Arts has also seen him attend to the role of National President of the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance; a role he served for 10 years working for better conditions and consideration of fellow artists. It continues to be a rewarding and busy time on stage and off for Simon Burke. He has traversed many stages and shares fascinating insight and reflection on a career that has seen him journey from talented child actor to an accomplished and regarded actor, and personality, in theatre and on screen.
S3.Ep123: DAVID SPICER - 7/5/20
David Spicer’s enthusiasm for the arts in all its forms is palpable. His participation exists in several identities; producer, publisher, performer and patron. He is a regular at the theatre and relishes nurturing new work. It’s a broad portfolio. Spicer is a journalist and worked for the A.B.C. in metropolitan radio and television, delivering news and current affairs. He was acknowledged with the Walkley Award two years running, for Best Radio Current Affairs Story. Equally at home on the stage, he has performed most of the lead tenor repertoire in the Gilbert and Sullivan canon; in concerts and production. In 2008, he acquired management of Stage Whispers Performing Arts Magazine; an essential guide for the theatre goer and participant, delivering news, reviews and listings. Since 1995, Spicer has been the Communications Officer for The Association of Community Theatre. In this capacity he helped found the ACT’s What’s On brochure and a bi-annual community theatre conference. He began his foray into representing stage plays and musicals in 1998, when David Spicer Productions licensed 2 musicals. The company now licences more than 200 productions in countries all over the world. David joined STAGES to examine his many roles and the essential place for an Arts experience in society - especially in the present, challenging times.
S3.Ep125: MARK HUMPHRIES - 14/5/20
You may have caught Mark Humphries as the imposing presence delivering satire on the 7:30 Report. He serves it with boundless charm and an engaging twinkle of the eye. You might also have found him as the amiable and accomplished host on the local version of the UK quiz success, Pointless. The television platform seems the likely home for Humphries who grew up with an appetite for television variety and who is the son of a former ABC weatherman. Early forays into a television studio ignited an ambition to entertain and amuse. Humphries also hosts a passion for musical theatre. He was recently triumphant in the series of Celebrity Mastermind where his special subject, was The Musicals of Stephen Sondheim. His charm and personality are reminiscent of the television Gods of yesteryear. He is equipped with a smile as broad as a bridge, a mischievous glint that hints at naughty and a masterful way with words - indelible assets for satirical comedy and television variety. He spoke with STAGES examining the challenge of writing and delivering comedy in present times, quiz shows and of course, the magic of the musical.
S3.Ep127: LISA MCCUNE - 21/5/20
Lisa McCune first performed on stage at the age of 15 playing Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz. She is synonymous with the character of ‘Maggie Doyle’ in the popular television drama , Blue Heelers. The role rewarded her with a swag of awards, including four Gold Logies as the most popular personality on Australian TV. McCune is not an actor to be defined by one role however, and has continued to amass a vast repertoire of performances on television and in plays and musical theatre. She trained at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts, demonstrating a resilience and ambition, as one of the youngest students to be accepted into the course. Her immense charm and engaging persona have made her the perfect casting in a succession of Rodgers and Hammerstein roles, where she has delighted audiences as Maria in The Sound of Music, Nellie Forebush in South Pacific and Anna Leonowens in The King and I. Her range is vast and she has given a terrific assortment of performances; Nunsense, Guys & Dolls, The Potato Factory, Sea Patrol, 33 Variations, Little Fish, Cabaret, Urinetown and How To Stay Married to list but a few. Adept at musical theatre, comedy and drama she is immediately likeable and accomplished in her navigation of character and story. Lisa was giving her ‘Gertrude’ in Hamlet with The Bell Shakespeare Company when the pandemic forced the closure of many theatres; effectively forcing the valuable work of the Arts sector to an abrupt stop. It was indeed a pleasure to converse with Lisa and contemplate her career, craft and COVID-19.
S3.Ep129: BARRY CREYTON (PART 1) - 28/5/20
Barry Creyton could quite easily be labelled a ‘Renaissance man’. He is a consummate man of the theatre - accomplished in many roles. He is also a pioneer of revue and satirical comedy in Australia as one of the writer/performers of the iconic television series; The Mavis Bramston Show. His career has taken him around the world, working in a variety of guises in Australia, the United Kingdom and the U.S.A. He has written screenplays, novels and countless theatre fare; revues, plays and adaptations. Following a motorcycle accident he spent time recovering in hospital and writing a play that would prove to be a triumph with an extensive tour that paired Creyton with his great friend and comic contemporary Noeline Brown. The play, Double Act is still performed today and has been given productions in a host of international cities. Creyton and Brown were among the first to release comic records in Australia. The Front and Back (Flip) Side of Barry Creyton and Noeline Brown & The Not So Wet and Dry Side of Barry Creyton and Noeline Brown, demonstrated a seductive sophistication and stark observation of the culture; and relationships between the sexes. In Australia he is also recognised as the urbane panellist from the subversive gameshow Blankety Blanks, the genius stage director of the musical comedy Nunsense or the hysterical farceur in the riotous Noises Off. A vast repertoire of villains, sophisticates and clowns contributes to audiences’ adoration of Creyton in stage and screen roles. Creyton serves the roles of actor, director, and writer with tremendous ease, extensive knowledge and immense charm. To be in his company is an experience to be treasured. He is generous, warm, witty and ready with a mountain of anecdotes that delight, inform and endlessly entertain
S3.Ep134: BELINDA GIBLIN - 18/6/20
Belinda Giblin recently celebrated 50 years as an actor. Growing up in Tamworth, the daughter of parents who were prolific practitioners in community theatre, early exposure to the arts guaranteed her chosen vocation. Extensive ballet study through her childhood resulted in an offer of scholarship to the Australian Ballet School, but it was a life upon the stage, in another artistic expression that won. She has navigated a career that has allowed her a broad repertoire of performances. With the iconic Crawford Production house, she found roles in the television police dramas Division Four, Homicide and Matlock Police. She has also perfected the art of the soap opera in programs like The Box, The Sullivans and Sons & Daughters; where she gave us the villainous Alison Carr. Giblin continues dips into the genre with her present residency in Home & Away’s Summer Bay as Martha Stewart. Her range can also be seen in stage performances that have covered Comedic Farce, American Drama and the Classics. Giblin defines the last decade as probably the most exciting she has experienced as an actor with acclaimed turns in Blonde Poison, Doubt, The Turquoise Elephant, Family Values and John. Belinda Giblin is this week’s guest on STAGES, reflecting on a craft that is always surprising, sometimes disappointing, frequently erratic but never dull.
S3.Ep137: DEAN CAREY - 28/6/20
Dean Carey began his professional career in Melbourne, acting in a series of television and stage productions. However it is the pedagogy of Acting that has consumed Dean for over 35 years, teaching the craft and associated performance skills. He has enormous passion and respect for the process of the actor and has subsequently become a stand for powerful and meaningful performance, nurturing actors to fully explore, grow and be their best. Dean has taught in the United Staes, the United Kingdom, France, Brazil, Russia, Singapore and New Zealand. He is the author of the much acclaimed , The Acting Edge, The Actor’s Audition Manual and Masterclass. He has served appointments as Head of Acting at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts and at the National Institute of Dramatic Art, where he also taught on the staff for several years. Several generations of actors have benefitted from his guidance with Dean also completing teaching stints and/or direction at the Victorian College of the Arts, the Queensland University of Technology and the Australian Film, Television and Radio School. In 1987 he created an Advanced Diploma in Performing Arts, (Acting) becoming the Founding and Creative Director of the Actor’s Centre Australia. Yesterday, The Actor's Centre celebrated 33 years of operation! In this riveting chat with STAGES we discuss the training of actors, Dean's penchant for science fiction stories and the birth and growth of ACA. Bravo Dean and Happy Birthday ACA!
S3.Ep139: ROBINA BEARD - 9/7/20
Born in the UK, Robina Beard wanted to be a ballerina and after migrating with her parents to Sydney in 1949, continued training in the Cecchetti method. She has contributed to many art forms and roles over an extensive career in Australia. Robina Beard has graced Australian stages and screens for several decades. She is familiar to generations of Australians as Madge the Manicurist in the iconic Palmolive commercials in which she uttered the familiar catch-phrase - “You’re soaking in it.” She has carved a fulfilling career as a performer, creative and teacher. She can now add author to the list with the recent publication of her autobiography, My Life: You’re Soaking In It. Robina provides us with a first hand account of the Entertainment Industry in Australia from early jobs working as a television weather girl, a score of shows with J.C.Williamson’s and at the Phillip Street theatre. She has filled the role of Resident Director and served appointments as a teacher with NAISDA and the Australian Ballet School. In this conversation we draw upon a lifetime of dance, musical theatre, drama, television and Arts education. At 83 she is vibrant, engaging and an endless source of laughter and fascination; having achieved many of her dreams but missing out on others. She describes opportunities and moments rife in a rich life and rewarding career.
S3.Ep142: TONY TAYLOR - 23/7/20
Tony Taylor migrated to Australia from the UK. He has found great personal reward through participation in the performing arts. Commencing his career as a Drama teacher, an invitation to participate in an improvisation workshop lead him to become an original member of the seminal Australian Performing Group at The Pram Factory in Melbourne. This crucible of creative energy would launch some of the country’s leading actors and playwrights. At The Pram Factory, Taylor was part of a theatre collective and found acting and creative roles in the premiere of David Williamson’s Don’s Party and the iconic Hills Family Show; a vaudeville themed entertainment that enjoyed considerable success and a wide tour. The Hills Family Show brought him to the attention of Sydney practitioners and extensive work at the Nimrod Theatre Company followed. As did the original Australian production of The Venetian Twins and a lifelong partnership with a fellow actor. A life in the theatre has also seen Taylor contribute dynamic performances in productions of The Life and Adventure of Nicholas Nickleby, Sweeney Todd the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, The Man of La Mancha and The Importance of Being Earnest. His writing accomplishments exist in a range of genres - drama, revue, comedy, cabaret and children’s theatre. He recounts the development of the riotous comic work, The Popular Mechanicals and other triumphs on the stage. Needless to say, it is an extensive contribution to theatre in Australia and Tony Taylor shares vast anecdote and history in this candid and illuminating episode of STAGES.
S3.Ep146: LEE YOUNG - 13/8/20
Lee Young was born James Stevenson Young in Scotland in 1928. His mother was a concert soprano and his father an amateur actor. Lee became stage struck at a very early age, fascinated by his father’s make-up box and collection of false beards. An unsuccessful audition for the Entertainment National Service Association (he was too young), brought him to the eye of an auditioning agent who was handling Scottish variety dates. He booked Lee’s dance act to appear at the Gaiety Theatre in Ayr. Keen to appear in a West End show, he successfully auditioned for the legendary Windmill Theatre and subsequently commenced a career in London theatres, clubs and revues. He has anecdotes aplenty concerning a galaxy of stars that he has either worked with or been on close terms. These include Frankie Howerd, Richard Burton, Marlene Dietrich, Benny Hill, Terry Thomas, Danny LaRue and Mrs Mills. In 1953, Lee made what may have been the first rock and roll record issued outside the United States when he recorded the song Rock, Rock, Rock. Lee settled in Sydney in 1971 and quickly established himself as a much loved and respected part of the show business fraternity ‘down under’ in theatre restaurant, revue and as a popular headline cabaret performer on the club circuit. As a theatre performer his credits include Stepping Out, Blithe Spirit, King Lear, Dad’s Army - the musical; and Arsenic and Old Lace where he toured with Gwen Plumb and June Bronhill. Lee is a much-lauded member of the distinguished theatrical group The Glugs, who in 2019, awarded him the Rodney Seaborn Lifetime Achievement Award. An hour in his company is a valuable history lesson and contagious inspiration. Ladies and Gentlemen …. Mr Lee Young.
S3.Ep149: JANE SIMMONS - 3/9/20
A young performer’s passion is frequently ignited through their engagement with the Arts, at school. Performing Arts teachers recognise and nurture a passion in their students that may one day lead to a professional career in dance, music or drama. A performing arts experience at school also supports the child whose ambition may lie in other industries, providing essential social, personal and analytical skills. The role of the Drama Teacher is immensely fulfilling but equally demanding. It exists beyond the curriculum in co-curricular programs, experiences and productions, generously offered by teachers to foster an appreciation of theatre, culture and the joy of play-making. Jane Simmons has over 25 years teaching experience. She is embraced as a leader in Drama education and is recognised as a generous source of advice, encouragement and practice. In her present role as Performance Officer at The Department of Education Arts Unit, she has produced State drama festivals, camps, ensembles and workshops. Jane has coordinated professional development courses and is an experienced director, administrator and marker. In 2011 she created a social network site, Drama Peeps. The site is a valued resource for the Drama teacher, offering support of pedagogy and nurturing community. Jane also has extensive stage experience. She has performed sold out shows at the Sydney Comedy Festival and is a dynamic presence at Theatresports competitions. For a period she wrote an insightful blog reviewing theatre, called Shit On Your Play. The blog garnered a wide readership from discerning theatre goers and many practitioners from MainStage and Fringe companies. In 2015 Jane received the Australian Council of Teachers leadership award, recognising her excellence and expertise in the arts. Jane joined STAGES in a celebratory conversation of the Drama teacher and illuminating reflection on what lead her to a career in arts education.
S3.Ep152: HUGH MONROE - 24/9/20
Hugh Monroe has been delighting audiences since childhood in a range of entertainments. A long resume demonstrates success and exuberant performance across stage, television, drag performance and Audio/Visual production. As a child he appeared in productions of Shakespeare, directed You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown and flew ‘across the skies’ as an impish Peter Pan. You may recall him as a congenial presenter on the highly popular television show, Simon Townsend’s Wonder World - a news program produced for a youth audience in the 1980s. At the other extreme you might have been witness to his antics as regular host of the piano bar at the iconic Albury Hotel on Sydney’s Oxford Street. Hugh could sing, on his head, on the piano! His skill in drag has also allowed him forays into the musical theatre joy of Pageant and La Cage Aux Folles. The past decade has been spent in Children’s theatre, nurturing audiences of the future and informing them via various theatre-in-education projects. Touring the country he introduces the magic of theatre to thousands of young people each year. Hugh loves a chat. And a story. It was much fun to share the microphone with Hugh Monroe, in this naughty but nice, STAGES conversation.
S3.Ep155: WESLEY ENOCH - 8/10/20
Wesley Enoch is a man of the theatre. He is in his final term as Artistic Director of the Sydney Festival. It is a role that has been informed by an extensive resume in roles as Playwright, Director and passionate Advocate for the Arts. He is also a leader and creative force in navigating the theatre to frame our vital indigenous stories. The plays he writes and directs explore issues of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and the complexities of Australian race relations. Enoch is a proud Noonuccal Nuugi man. He grew up in Brisbane and trained in Drama at the Queensland University of Technology. He has been at the helm of a number of renowned Indigenous theatre productions, including The 7 Stages of Grieving with Deborah Mailman, Black Diggers, presented at Sydney Festival in 2014 and his most recent production, Black Cockatoo, which premiered at the 2020 Sydney Festival. He is Chair of Create NSW’s Aboriginal Arts and Culture Board; Chair of the Australia Council’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Strategy Panel; a Board member of Annamila and NAISDA; and a member of the AGNSW Aboriginal Advisory Committee. In the lead up to curating his final Sydney Festival, he has been presented with considerable Covid challenges, on top of the considerations that already present to the responsibility of Festival Director. Wesley shares some of those challenges and his great passion for telling stories on the stage in this episode of STAGES.
S3.Ep158: RACHAEL BECK - 20/10/20
Rachael Beck was always destined for a career on the stage. As a young person she was regularly performing at eisteddfods and keenly participating in school musicals. So enamoured with the magic of song and dance, she auditioned for the musical Cats at 13. Considered too young for the show, she subsequently scored the show in later years, as Rumpleteazer. Beck has of course gone on to become one of our favourite leading ladies, giving sterling performances in a host of stage shows; Beauty and the Beast, Les Miserables, The Sound of Music, Cabaret, Me and My Girl, Singing in the Rain, Next To Normal, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Barnum. She has graced our screens too in Hey Dad!, Home and Away, It Takes Two, Family and Friends, Postcards and Surprise Surprise Gotcha. Rachael’s passion and humour are infectious. It was a treat to sit down for this conversation and learn more about her work ethic, her concern for the Arts and her brilliant journey, thus far.
S3.Ep160: BRUCE FERGUSON - 25/10/20
Many production elements contribute to the success of a show. Whether that be the orchestra in a musical, the lighting design in a play or the set and costumes - each has a vital role in creating the world that we invest in. But how many of us notice and appreciate a smaller presence equally as important to demonstrate character and support the narrative? The properties, or props, used in a show give us access to character quirks and offer ‘sign posts’ to assist the story-telling. These items might include a basket for Maria Von Trapp, a parrot-headed umbrella for Mary Poppins, a phonograph that records for Professor Henry Higgins or a broom stick that releases smoke for the Wicked Witch of the West. To enlighten us about this role in the theatre, I am joined by Properties Master, Bruce Ferguson. Bruce has designed and built props for an expanse of shows that include Wicked, The Addams Family, My Fair Lady, 42nd Street, La Cage Aux Folles and Anything Goes. He also details a career that has embraced unique experiences in photography and hospitality; as well as his dreams for a Drag Museum in Sydney. Bruce shares fascinating insight to the journey undertaken in constructing and ‘bringing life’ to the objects that support the illusion in which we invest, when sitting in an audience.
S3.Ep163: TERENCE CLARKE -
In any history of the Australian stage, my guest today would figure significantly. Terence Clarke has contributed to a myriad of theatrical fare – as Director, Actor, Composer, Writer and Teacher. Clarke directed the world premieres of John O’Donoghue’s A Happy and Holy Occasion and Janis Balodis’ Backyard. Together with Nick Enright, he wrote the musicals Variations, The Venetian Twins and Summer Rain – repertoire visited regularly by theatre companies and celebrated by new generations of performers and audience. In this episode he speaks extensively of his writing partnership with Enright and the geneses of their celebrated works; musicals that have become classics in the Australian musicals canon. His appointments have included Associate Director of Perth’s National Theatre Company, founding Artistic Director of the Hunter Valley Theatre Company, Artistic Director of the National Playwright’s conference and Head of Directing at The National Institute of Dramatic Art. In 2007, he was made a Member of the Order of Australia. Terence is tremendous company and is a fine raconteur. An hour in his company is a valuable history lesson and brilliant instruction. What a joy to sit down with Terence Clarke for this special episode of STAGES.
S3.Ep165: MICHAEL TYACK - 12/11/20
Michael Tyack has been a vital presence in the Australian Musical Theatre industry for several decades. His extraordinary contribution has seen him provide guidance and leadership in a variety of musical roles - audition and rehearsal pianist, pit musician, accompanist, musical arranger, composer and Musical Director. He began working as a professional musician in 1974 for J.C. Williamson’s in Melbourne and entered the world of musicals via their celebrated production of A Little Night Music. He moved to Sydney to conduct the Sydney Theatre Company’s production of Chicago then was Musical Director for their productions of The Stripper, Four Lady Bowlers, Jonah, Company, Merrily We Roll Along, Falsettos, Miracle City and Summer Rain, whilst also providing music for several of their plays. He has contributed to the production of many prominent commercial musicals. A vast list includes Cats, Phantom Of The Opera, Les Misérables, Miss Saigon, Singing In The Rain, The Lion King and Wicked. He has musically directed productions of Side By Side By Sondheim, Chess, The Twenties and All That Jazz, Gershwin, The Wizard of Oz, Jerry’s Girls, Joseph and His Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, High School Musical, The Boy From Oz, Tivoli, The Witches of Eastwick (for which he was awarded a Green Room Award), Eureka, Spamalot and the Hugh Jackman tour of The Boy From Oz. Further shows at the helm of the orchestra cover The Production Company’s Dusty, Brigadoon and The Boy From Oz. He garnered another Green Room Award and a Helpmann Award for the musical direction of the Disney/Cameron Mackintosh production of Mary Poppins. Michael’s cabaret and concert credits are extensive too, having worked with Australian and overseas artists including Sutton Foster, Betty Buckley, Trevor Ashley, Toni Lamond, Michael Ball, David Campbell, Geraldine Turner, Caroline O’Connor, Nancye Hayes, Michael Crawford and Judi Connelli; both here and abroad. Michael is passionate about his work and has amassed an extraordinary list of experiences. He has often been on the ‘ground floor’ of much of the musical theatre product produced and created in Australia; and has enjoyed a front row seat for much extraordinary creation. It is indeed a pleasure to welcome 'MyTy', at last, to STAGES.
S3.Ep168: GEORGE HOLOHAN-CANTWELL AND RYAN YEATES - 26/11/20
Opening at The Lyric Theatre in Sydney next week is the Broadway revival of Stephen Schwartz’ musical Pippin - the coming-of-age story of a young man searching for his place in the world. Ryan Yeates and George Holahan-Cantwell share the role of Theo. The two young actors have amassed considerable professional engagement in their burgeoning careers. Ryan is 15 and George is 12. Young actors are a regular presence, and often an awe-inspiring addition, to the narratives in much of musical theatre. Contemporary commercial offerings have necessitated a corpse de ballet of junior dance hopefuls in Billy Elliot or a class of school brats in Matilda - the musical. It’s a tradition that has long been present on stages - we’ve gaped at the talents demonstrated by the Von Trapp children in The Sound Of Music, the tenacity of the orphans in Annie and the stamina of the workhouse boys in Oliver. Sometimes, the creators have even thrown in an animal or two, to increase the charm factor. Star turns by canine characters have given us Sandy in Annie, Chowsie in Gypsy and Toto in The Wizard Of Oz. Pippin has both of these. A beguiling boy actor to play the role of Theo - and a duck! George enjoys everything involving music and you will often find him singing, playing the piano and producing his own music. A talented performer with a passion for musical theatre, George recently completed the Sydney season of School of Rock playing the role of the keyboardist Lawrence, and before that, the role of Benji in Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Ryan returns to the stage after recently playing the lead role of Charlie Bucket in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, and the role of Noah in Caroline or Change for the Hayes Theatre Co. He trains in all forms of dance and has won many State and Australian titles in Irish Dancing. A regular performer with The Wiggles on TV and DVD, Ryan features as the Junior Purple Wiggle, in the ABC series Wiggle Wiggle Wiggle; as well performing in the Emma series. STAGES is fascinated by the extraordinary talents expressed by young triple threats in the navigation of these narratives. How does one so young achieve such detailed, mature and skilful performance? George and Ryan provide an insight to the work, commitment and drive employed by these young thespians.
S3.Ep172: HOWARD SHERMAN - 13/12/20
A work of startling originality when it debuted in 1938, Thornton Wilder's Our Town evolved to be seen by some as a vintage slice of early 20th Century Americana, rather than being fully appreciated for its complex and eternal themes and its deceptively simple form. Another Day’s Begun: Thornton Wilder’s Our Town in the Twentieth Century is a new book that shines a light on the play's continued impact in the 21st century and makes a case for the healing powers of Wilder's text to a world confronting multiple crises. In this episode I am joined by the author, Howard Sherman. Howard is an arts administrator, advocate and writer based in New York City. He was executive director of the American Theatre Wing from 2003 to 2011 and during that time, his varied responsibilities included incorporating SpringboardNYC, the Theatre Intern Group and The Jonathan Larson Grants into ATW’s programming. Howard also conceived the book The Play That Changed My Life; and served on the Tony Awards Management and Administration Committees. During his tenure at the American Theatre Wing, he was executive producer of the company’s long running television program Working in the Theatre, hosting 30 panel conversations among the more than 80 shows he produced. And as creator of the audio program Downstage Centre, he interviewed 325 theatre luminaries in a seven-year span. Howard was the first General Manager of Goodspeed Musicals, working on 24 new and classic musicals, including the U.S. premieres of Alan Ayckbourn's work and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s By Jeeves. He has moderated artist conversations for public audiences for more than 30 years, having begun by leading post-performance discussions with such noted figures as Athol Fugard and JoAnne Akalaitis at the Annenberg Center in Philadelphia. He currently writes a weekly column on U.S. theatre for The Stage in London and writes monthly for Stage Directions magazine. In January 2021 he releases the book in which he appraises and celebrates Thornton Wilder’s classic of American drama; Our Town, through the eyes of the folk 'who have spent time in Grover's Corners'. Howard joined STAGES from Manhattan in a fascinating conversation about this classic play, and to ponder the future challenge for the Broadway theatre and stages beyond.
STAGES 2021
Stand-by. Coming Soon.
S1.Ep3: BRIAN CASTLES ONION - 18/4/18
Brian Castles-Onion has been described as 'Exceptionally Brilliant', 'Dynamic' and 'Fabulous'. He has been awarded the prestigious Churchill Fellowship to study conducting in Europe and has worked at The Metropolitan Opera in New York and the Rossini Festival in Italy. A longtime association with Opera Australia, 2018 sees him conduct his seventh Handa Opera on Sydney Harbour - Puccini's La Boheme. He discusses growing up in Cessnock, the art of the Conductor and his production of The Great Australian Voices series of recordings that preserve our vital vocal heritage.
S1.Ep6: GRACE BARNES - 3/5/18
In a career encompassing playwriting, teaching, academia and directing, Grace Barnes has championed the female voice in storytelling. And working as an associate or resident director on original productions of Sunset Boulevard, Martin Guerre and The Witches of Eastwick, she has had a seat at the birth of seminal works of musical theatre and observed the creatives that made them. She was even present in the initial weeks of Miss Saigon on Broadway. So how did a theatre obsessed kid from Scotland, escape the bleak countryside of Shetland and soon find herself amongst the bright lights of Broadway? Barnes has recently completed her PHD and has commenced her second book, a biography of Mina Wylie - the Olympic swimmer from Coogee who was a trailblazer of women’s sport in Australia. Her first book is a reflection on the role of women in musical theatre. "If musical theatre reflects prevailing societal attitudes, what does the modern musical tell us about the place of women in contemporary America, the UK and Australia?" A fascinating read, posing much for consideration, is Her Turn On Stage by Grace Barnes.
S1.Ep9: DONNA LEE - 14/6/18
Donna Lee comes from a long line of performers. Showbusiness is indeed the family business; with Donna being the fifth generation in her family, to embrace performance as a career. As a child she travelled the country and performed with her parents: her father Frank Cleary, a juggler and variety performer; and her mother Gloria Dawn, one of Australia’s foremost actors in music theatre and drama. She has been acknowledged with a Green Room Award for her role as Ado Annie in Oklahoma and garnered several Mo Awards for her cabaret work. Extensive work in musical theatre has seen Donna feature in shows such as Les Miserables, Summer Rain, Fiddler on the Roof and Dames at Sea. Television work has seen her reside in Summer Bay, Ramsay Street and Wandin Valley. Donna is a font of knowledge and an exuberant personality. She is the ideal guest on STAGES.
S1.Ep12: ANDREW MCFARLANE - 26/7/18
Many of our favourite television series, have featured today’s guest. Iconic shows that were part of our nightly viewing – defining our identity and celebrating the culture. His performances captured us through an array of quintessentially Australian characters; telling stories of WW2 in The Sullivans, Outback Australia in The Flying Doctors and protecting our boarders in Patrol Boat. Fronting them all was charismatic and handsome Andrew McFarlane. In a career that has encompassed television, stage and film, he continues to work in all platforms – citing a delight in a new ‘career’ playing ‘arseholes’. This only proves what a dependable and accomplished actor he is.
S1.Ep15: DENIS FOLLINGTON - 6/9/18
In 1983, something was happening in the Western states – the birth of a training course focused entirely on the Musical Theatre. There was no music theatre education in the country, and after starting the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts, Dr Geoff Gibbs made the creation of the course his next goal. For nearly 20 years, Denis Follington was on the staff of this much sought Musical Theatre BA at WAAPA. The course has graduated students including Meow Meow, Eddie Perfect, Lisa McCune, Lucy Durack, Rodney Dobson, Fiona Choi, Martin Crewes, Peter Ross, Carmel Dean and Simon Gleeson. In 1997, he took the helm and steered the course for another 3 years as Head of the department. The course garnered a national reputation for producing graduates who were prepared, focused, knowledgable and dependable. WAAPA graduates walked into the country’s commercial musicals – and proved themselves adept at television and plays too. Impressed with the success of the course at WAAPA, he was lured by Lasalle College of the Arts in Singapore to build a Music Theatre course of their own, attracting students from around the world. STAGES spoke to Denis about the essentials of such an education, the history of the course at WAAPA and his first cast recording of a Broadway show.
S1.Ep18: MAUREEN ELKNER - 18/10/18
Maureen Elkner has been singing since the sixties. Carving out a career as a rock/pop vocalist, she began her professional career in a trio called The Chiffons. After singing back-up for John Farnham and providing vocals on Russell Morris’s classic 'The Real Thing', Maureen found her great success with the chart climber 'Rak Off Normie' – the follow up single to Bob Hudson’s novelty hit ‘The Newcastle Song’. Maureen released 7 singles and two albums through the 70s and also found success as an actress and comedienne in the original Australian productions of Jesus Christ Superstar and The Rocky Horror Show. A short-lived season (2 performances) of the musical Oh Calcutta!, saw her arrested along with the entire company. Maureen also entertained the troops during the Vietnam war; venturing into enemy territory to relieve the soldiers of the horrors they were navigating. It’s a fascinating story and STAGES was delighted to sit down with the inspiring Maureen Elkner.
S1.Ep21: FRED FARGHER - 8/11/18
Long before the availability of 24 hour News cycles, Netflix, Cable networks and Reality TV, companion stations to the urban networks existed all over regional Australia. BTV6 in Ballarat was one such station, providing reach to the communities of Ballarat and Western Victoria. It provided local content to service the population – news, commercials and variety. Following in the mould of offerings in the major cities - In Melbourne Tonight with Graeme Kennedy, The Don Lane Show, and The Mike Walsh Show …. BTV6 came up with its own offering – Six Tonight! Fronting the show was an unassuming chap who was thrust into the role, based largely on his experiences in the theatre and behind-the-camera work, at the station. He was very much learning an unfamiliar medium, on the job. The host of Six Tonight was Fred Fargher and he quickly established himself as a Master of the form, and through this regional offering of television variety, was readily accepted into living rooms around Victoria. Fred sat down with STAGES to discuss his unique experience - the challenges of mounting a weekly variety show that went live to air – and also the rewards that it brought.
S1.Ep24: TONY SHELDON - 29/11/18
STAGES very first guest, launching the podcast, was the legendary Toni Lamond – a woman of abundant talent and huge heart. It is delightful serendipity that we are going to bookend this very first season with her son, Tony Sheldon; our final guest for 2018. Born into a family dynasty of performers it would appear that Tony Sheldon’s destiny was pre-ordained. Recognition as a talented youth saw him perform on In Melbourne Tonight with Graham Kennedy and join the workhouse in the Sydney season of the musical Oliver. As a young man his career as an actor in plays saw him embrace a fast growing repertoire in roles as a sensitive young man - Equus, The Glass Menagerie and Peter Kenna’s seminal Australian work, A Hard God. His break-out performance as Arnold Becker in Torch Song Trilogy quickly followed. It wasn’t long before he extended his playing into the Musical Theatre; a form that has been a life-long passion. Sheldon’s engaging style, colossal charm and extensive appreciation of the form have provided us with perfect portrayals in shows that include The Venetian Twins, Into The Woods, The Producers, Dames At Sea and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Most significantly, one role has taken him around the world, rewarding him with 'Olivier' and 'Tony' award nominations – that of transsexual Bernadette, the glamorous and resilient survivor, in Priscilla – Queen of the Desert – The Musical. But not “everything has come up roses” for Sheldon … long bouts of depression and personal upsets along the way have provided their challenges. He is frank, warm and always inspiring in detailing these. He is a true gentleman of the theatre; a captivating raconteur and a thoroughly nice man – it was an absolute delight for STAGES to spend some time with Tony Sheldon.
S2.Ep27: CAROLINE O’CONNOR - 24/1/19
Caroline O’Connor is considered to be one of the foremost interpreters of musical theatre in the world. Projects have taken her from Sydney to Paris to London and the bright lights of Broadway in a vast array of leading roles, that are coveted by musical theatre performers at their peak. At 17 she won a scholarship to the prestigious Royal Ballet School in London. The discipline and routine of such classes instilled in her a fierce work ethic that allows her characterisations to be delivered with boundless energy, masterful timing, consummate skill and infinite joy. Her range is impressive as seen by the varied and insightful performances she has given in an extensive career – Velma Kelly, Mrs Lovett, Fanny Brice, Mabel Normand and Countess Lily Malevsky-Malevitch, just to name a few. She’s interpreted the works of Sondheim, Bernstein, Jerry Herman, Kander & Ebb, Jule Styne and Aherns & Flattery – indicating a versatility that demands an appreciation of style and technical dexterity. The mediums of theatre and film have also been embraced - in projects like Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge and the Cole Porter bio-pic De-Lovely. She has also had two plays written just for her – Bombshells by Joanna Murray-Smith and Scarlett O’Hara At The Crimson Parrot by David Williamson. The New Year brings many more exciting projects for Caroline O’Connor. STAGES was thrilled to spend some time with her, touching on these - and a career that continues to reward her with great stories, mesmerising performances and a loyal audience. Ladies and Gentlemen, the one, the only - Caroline O’Connor.
S2.Ep30: BRUCE POLLACK - 14/2/19
With over four decades, promoting and guiding major projects across Australia, Bruce Pollack is a veteran of the Entertainment Industry. He is one of our top Publicists and has been present at the launch of countless musicals, handled some of the world’s biggest stars and sweet-talked the Media whilst juggling behind-the-scenes dramas and serving his clients effectively – getting the word out and celebrating the entertainment. In 1956, a chance encounter with the legendary actor Hayes Gordon, allowed the eight-year old Bruce an opportunity to stand in the wings of The Princess Theatre, Melbourne, during a Saturday matinee of Kismet. It was then that his fate was sealed and he then became determined that the theatre was where he was meant to be. In 2016 Bruce was appointed a Member in the General Division of the Order of Australia for significant service to the community in the areas of social welfare and public health. He has been acclaimed by the mainstream media and the gay and lesbian community as having been at the forefront of representing the gay and lesbian community through the national media since the early eighties. 'Bruce Pollack Publicity' was established in late 1982. From his many years of involvement in Arts administration and entertainment marketing, he gained all the necessary skills and expertise to establish a successful Public Relations Company that specialised in Media Relations for the Entertainment Industry. Over the next twenty years 'Bruce Pollack Publicity' grew to be one of the largest publicity organisations in Australia. In 2002 he created Pollack Consulting and now works as a Sole Consultant providing strategic media advice to a range of clients. Bruce Pollack is very much a Guru. A Master of Publicity. He comes equipped with a thousand anecdotes and an enthusiasm that never wanes.
S2.Ep33: MAUREEN HOWARD - 7/3/19
Melbourne born soprano Maureen Howard was beloved by audiences and critics alike. At twelve years of age, she was a regular voice on the weekly 3DB Radio programme Swallows Juniorsand she later won the Vocal Section of television’s Swallow’s Parade. Though she studied singing from an early age, she wanted to be a hairdresser and, it was serendipitous that one of her clients was associated with the two major theatre entrepreneurs J.C. Williamson and Garnet H. Carroll Management. A simple conversation during a hairdressing appointment gained Maureen a stage audition for J.C.Williamson at Her Majesty’s Theatre in Melbourne . They had just opened their production of My Fair Lady. The following week, the same client arranged an audition for Garnet H. Carroll at the Princess Theatre in Melbourne and she was immediately offered a contract for Chorus - and later ‘stand-by’ for Marian the Librarian - in The Music Man. As would occur many times during her early career, Maureen went on in the star’s role. In April of 1961, she was cast in Lock Up Your Daughters with an additional song especially written for her character by the conductor Dobbs Franks. In August that year, she performed in Loesser’s Most Happy Fella with Inia Te Wiata and Ronal Jackson. Later that year, Garnett H. Carroll Management cast her as June Bronhill’s ‘stand-by’ in The Sound of Music and, again, Maureen was frequently seen in the role of Maria. In 1962, Maureen Howard won First Prize in the celebrated Sun Aria and left her contract for The Sound of Music. She was a frequent face and voice on television especially on the popular Sunny Side Up in 1963. After study, a year in Italy and then London with the noted teacher Vera Rózsa, her operatic career started with Puccini’s Tosca in 1967 – starting her career at the top – with the Elizabethan Trust Opera. The production opened at the Perth Festival on February 11th and featured Reginald Byers and the Hungarian baritone Alexander Major as Cavaradossi and Scarpia along with the twenty-seven years old Maureen Howard. Her operatic debut was a success, with one critic writing “She may not be as imperious as some Toscas, but she certainly is more vocally secure than many … A powerful voice which is always beautifully controlled, and dominated the stage.” The same year, she performed Zerlina in Don Giovanni with a stellar cast featuring Neil Warren-Smith, Marcella Reale, Rosemary Gordon, Robert Gard, Ronald Maconaghie and John Germain. It was a controversial production directed by the young Jim Sharman. A production of Die Fledermaus as Rosalinda (and June Bronhill as the maid, Adele) was a hit with audiences. Next came performances of Venus in Tannhäuser, Tebaldo in Don Carlo, Liù in Turandot, Micaela in Carmen and the cover of Minnie in the Australian premiere of Puccini’s La fanciulla del West. Her career reached a new high with her assumption of Cio Cio San in Madama Butterfly in 1969 with a new production mounted especially for her talents. As a company member, she was also cast as Felice in Wolf-Ferrari’s School for Fathers, Josephine in HMS Pinafore, Elsie Maynard in Yeoman of the Guard along with Giulietta in a concert version of The Tales of Hoffmann. Along with Cio Cio San in Madama Butterfly, the roles of Nedda in Pagliacci and Musetta in La bohème fitted Maureen Howard to a tee. To many audiences, her performances in all three roles have never been surpassed by an Australian born performer. She created Musetta in the famous La bohème production by Tom Lingwood in 1971. “Maureen Howard’s Musetta stole the show … she has the wonderful ability for stance, stage presence and poise of hand which just fix one’s eyes upon her.” During the following season, she performed her first Mimi in the same production. Her debut as Nedda came in 1972 and she was usually cast alongside the Canio of Donald Smith – who also seemed ‘born for the role’. Sparks flew on stage when they ignited each other’s performances. “Maureen Howard was attractively wayward, singing powerfully in the final scene, yet making something tender of the ballatella.” From 1976, Maureen Howard appeared in various operatic and music theatre productions. Man of La Mancha and La belle Hélène were prominent during this time. Other operetta roles ensued – Kathy in The Student Prince, Eurydice in Orpheus in the Underworld, Violet Gray in The Belle of New York, Angèle in The Count of Luxembourg (with Robert Gard as her René), Ottilie Giesecke in White Horse Inn, Marianne in New Moon (with John Larsen as her leading man), Yum Yum in The Mikado and Phyllis in Iolanthe. She returned to Opera Australia for the role of the Foreign Woman in Menotti’s The Consul in 1986 after a decade hiatus from that company. A decade later, she appeared as a guest at the Robert Allman Farewell Gala at the Sydney Opera House singing the Pagliacci duet with her long-time colleague. This led to her being contracted Lady Macbeth in Verdi’s opera and the Witch in Hansel and Gretel. Her stage farewell came in 1998 in Sondheim’s Follies when she performed Heidi Schiller – singing “One More Kiss” to perfection. The career of Maureen Howard was as varied as the roles and styles she played. She was a Star of each medium (radio, television and stage) and was adored by a myriad of fans.
S2.Ep40: JACQUELINE DARK - 25/4/19
Jacqueline Dark grew up in Ballarat, Victoria – a precinct that fosters participation in the arts and hosts a collection of community theatre companies, choirs and orchestras – all with the intent to practice excellence and provide opportunity and experience to the enthusiastic novice. A youth spent performing in amateur musicals, theatre restaurant and operetta afforded Jacqui an opportunity to play - and discover the power of performance. Standing out as a dynamic talent, it seemed imperative that she would be called to a career in vocal performance and the stage. Roles in musical theatre and opera followed – along with a swag of awards – all confirming Dark as a practitioner of note. After completing a Bachelor of Physics degree, she gave the classroom a brief stint. But the urge to perform professionally propelled her to the Opera Studio at the Victorian College of The Arts, where she graduated with First Class Honours. Her performance experience also encompasses cabaret, and the concert platform – all handled with aplomb and easy calibration. But perhaps her most significant role is that of Mother; a role she pursued in her early 40s. Incidentally, another role as Mother, came along shortly after by way of a revival of The Sound of Music. I’ve known Jacqui for several decades – there is always a lot to catch up on! It is a great joy to be in her company. She radiates warmth and wisdom. We commenced our chat – in a galaxy not so far away - at the beginning.
S2.Ep43: CHLOE DALLIMORE - 16/5/19
An accident in her youth, could have ended the performance career of Chloe Dallimore. She was not going to let that happen. A determined focus and the discovery of pilates therapy, ensured that she would heal herself to then be available to take on all adventure presented to her. Dallimore is one of our most cherished performers. Roles in The Producers, The Addams Family and Thoroughly Modern Millie have engaged audiences and demonstrated a practitioner of considerable skill, charm and joy. Any meeting with her, on stage or off, will guarantee a smile, a full heart and the precious gift of having met a special human being. She is selfless, generous and also an incredible overachiever. When not gracing our stages, she serves as the National President of MEAA (the Media, Entertainment and Arts Alliance), guiding the organisation through a myriad of challenges from imported artists and saving theatres to establishing diversity, equity and safety in the workplace. It’s a role that keeps her very busy – but Dallimore is committed in representing her fellow performers to achieve fairness and reward. She is also an accomplished businesswoman and has continued her great appreciation of the benefits of the pilates technique, with managing her own studios. We should all be so lucky to know a champion like Chloe. STAGES very much enjoyed this catch-up, giggle and passionate discussion with Chloe Dallimore.
S2.Ep46: BARRY DICKINS - 6/6/19
Barry Dickins is fascinated by people and what makes them tick. He is a celebrated playwright whose work astutely portrays the marrow of Australian life, in deft characterisations of our idiosyncratic lifeblood and the telling of tales, tall and true. His talents extend to author, artist, actor, educator and journalist. His work is made up of acute observations and unique interpretation ... given titles that seem to bottle our essence with sublime perfection – The Horror of Suburban Nature Strips, The Bloody Terror of Dentistry, Bedlam Autos and The Banana Bender. There is no doubting the immense contribution he has made to Australia’s cultural life. Writing chiefly for the Independent sector, his plays have seen life in iconic venues around Australia such as La Mama, Theatreworks, St Martin’s, Nimrod, La Boite and The Pram Factory. His work has also been featured on main stages at the Melbourne Theatre Company & Playbox Theatre. Biographical works riffing on the themes of Frank Thring, Brett Whiteley and Ronald Ryan have also received the Dickins pen. The Ronald Ryan story giving him the 1995 Victorian Premier’s Literary Award. He also wrote a novel of Ryan – the last man hanged in Australia. Most recently he has examined the story of Sydney socialite and campaigner Juanita Nielsen. Dickins writes with inimitable wit, humour and lyricism and has the ability to find the ridiculous and jubilant amid pain. He is a true Australian legend. He is a great character of the theatre – and it was a joy to ‘chew the fat’ with Barry Dickins.
S2.Ep49: RON CREAGER - 20/6/19
Ron Creager is a fervent believer in saying ‘Yes’ to all opportunities presented to him. Sometimes prepared, sometimes not, it is this cavalier attitude that has allowed him to wear many hats and travel the world extensively as a solo pianist, accompanist, Musical Director and performer. Creager’s talents extend to the composition of several musicals - Careful He Might Hear You, Aimee and When The Bough Breaks to name but a few. His specialty compositions have contributed to shows like Madonna and Child, in which he toured nationally with Tony’s Lamond and Sheldon. A chance meeting in Los Angeles with legendary Australian performer Toni Lamond, lead Creager in becoming her regular Musical Director and Accompanist; a role that brought him to Australia. As Arranger and Accompanist he has also worked with an array of mighty talent including Helen Reddy, Tim Draxl, Tina C, Derek Metzger, Simon Burke, Jeannie Little, Paul Capsis and Kerrie Biddell. The role as accompanist is so crucial to the singer that the two performers must merge as one in a relationship where each must navigate the song in synch. It’s a role where Creager has been lauded as one of the best. Originally from Kentucky, Creager was raised on church music giving him an extensive knowledge of the Gospel repertoire, and roles as organist and choir director for several churches. Ron was recently back in Australia and we managed a long overdue catch-up. He discusses the role of accompanist and talks us through a few of his compositions, providing us with access to the music and the awesome vocalists that have have performed the material.
S2.Ep51 - AARON FARLEY
(AKA MINNIE COOPER) - 4/7/19
For 30 years Aaron Farley and his Drag persona ‘Minnie Cooper’ have been entertaining audiences from Oxford street to Oxford circus. A happy accident in 2003 saw Farley fall into the art of Drag and a new Diva was born. Miss Minnie Cooper is an enamoured part of the Drag Industry and a recipient of more Drag Industry Variety Awards (DIVAs) than just about anyone, and has been awarded Entertainer of the Year on a record number of four occasions. This new dimension in Farley’s career followed an established position in many commercial musical productions throughout Australia including The Witches of Eastwick, Showboat, Crazy For You, Chicago and Singin’ in The Rain. It all commenced with a triumphant debut in the dance hit Hot Shoe Shuffle - the phenomenon created by choreographer David Atkins that conquered stages in Australia and the U.K. Successful turns as a choreographer and director have also allowed Farley to flex his creative muscle, teaching a new legion of performers and constructing engaging artistry for audiences. Mr Farley and Miss Cooper join the illustrious line-up for the inaugural Sydney International Cabaret Festival. He hosts the Late Night Cabaret Lounge at The Seymour Centre on the debut evening of the Festival. Aaron Farley joined STAGES to discuss his drag persona, his passion for performance and and all that glitters.
S2.EP54: NICK HARDCASTLE - 11/7/19
Nick Hardcastle is charisma on legs. With a vibrant personality, it is no surprise that he has enjoyed success in various fields around the world. He may be immediately recognisable as Summer Bay resident Tim O’Connell in Home and Away or as the genial host of Video Hits. His TV credits extend to extensive work as presenter on a range of shows that have included Saturday Disney and five seasons of the highly popular Creature Features. No stranger to the stage, Nick has scored theatrical credits in Australia, London and Los Angeles. These include the role of Felicia in the musical, Priscilla the Queen of the Desert - The Musical and Damian in Reuben Guthrie. All this experience lead him to co-found the Australian Theatre Company - a theatrical venture that showcases Australian repertoire and harnesses the array of Australian talent working in the U.S.; fostering a creative and meaningful cultural exchange. He is presently working on a show that celebrates the legendary Hollywood Costume Designer, Orry Kelly. The show, Orry, was recently invited to launch Celebration Theatre’s New Works Program in the city of West Hollywood. As actor, presenter, producer, recording artist and with gigs on radio, Nick is essentially an entertainment Renaissance man. Currently based in LA, he was back recently for a brief visit, and as ever, it is always a treat and a chuckle to spend some time with Nick.
S2.Ep57: RODNEY DELANEY - 25/7/19
Rodney Delaney has relished a life in the theatre as a performer and director. The recent period has seen him provide the most essential of roles; that as Dresser for artists and productions at Opera Australia. He is passionate about the Arts and in a conversation one always manages to glean new knowledge, generous compliment, an analysis of a recent theatrical offering and generally some delicious showbiz news. Starting out in Brisbane he was enamoured with the theatre from a young age, having walked past a theatre presenting Call Me Madam, and starring the great Evie Hayes. He sensed something was different about this building and quickly established a rapport with the leading lady. Work in the theatre and revue allowed him an opportunity to learn the structure of a show and to read an audience. A chance meeting landed him in the touring production of The Sound of Music and a quick brush with the character of Rolf. A period working in television working as a Set Dresser gave him more skills before a career in directing for the stage came to the fore. Together with Matthew O’Sullivan, Betty Cheal and Lynne Porteous he established The Actor’s Company; the first serious attempt at a professional co-operative theatre in Sydney. The Company staged their productions in various spaces in Kings Cross and Paddington, ultimately finding a home in the Esme Hackett Memorial Hall in Ultimo. A diverse repertoire was presented including Play It Again Sam, A Taste of Honey, Look Back in Anger, The Foursome, The Caretaker and Naked Hamlet. The company lasted over four years but was dismantled in 1979 after a production of The Glass Menagerie. Musical theatre is a passion, along with our great leading ladies. We begin our conversation dissecting the iconic work Gypsy and the many stars who have navigated the role of Rose in the show. He is a font of theatrical knowledge and great company. It is always a treat to hear about the many stages of Rodney Delaney.
S2.Ep60: CARLA MOORE - 8/8/19
Community Theatre provides an opportunity for the amateur practitioner to practice and develop their creative skills in a variety of roles – these include direction, design, front-of-house, marketing and of course, performance. The term amateur defines one who participates in a pursuit without payment but is driven by passion. Community theatre is a platform for passion - it provides for participants, who have a desire to make the arts their profession and to take their first precious steps into the precarious and wonderful world of the theatre. A great deal of fun is had along the way as participants collaborate with other like-minds in a setting that provides a cherished social interaction and develops valuable skills; whilst also providing audiences, in suburban and regional areas, with perhaps their only access to live performance. Carla Moore is a drama educator and playwright. For the past 17 years she has served as President of the Chester Street Theatre in Epping, Sydney. The company works out of a church hall and programs 3 productions a year. All are eagerly attended by an enthusiastic local and loyal audience. A subscription package is offered but they do not receive any other funding. Companies like Chester Street Theatre rely on their box office to function. Carla joined STAGES to discuss the vital necessity of such companies and the essential role they play.
S2.Ep63: MARK MORRISSEY - 29/8/19
Mark Morrissey is one of the elders of the Agent profession in Australia. Now in his 34th year, Morrissey Management represents and guides the careers of many of our finest actors on local and world stages. Morrissey began his career as an actor in television shows like Rafferty’s Rules, Sons and Daughters and Prisoner; a perfect vantage point to garner essential experience by observing work behind the camera. The knowledge acquired would inform his ambition and understanding, ultimately propelling him into a position as one of the country’s best. As this week’s guest, he reflects on how the role of the Agent has changed over past decades and how it prepares for a changing media landscape moving forward. He has a breadth of experience, he is generous with his support of talent and ever keen to create new and exciting work. In creating work, Morrissey has also served as Executive Producer on a number of ventures including the documentaries Molly: The Real Thing and The Road to Freedom Peak, the television mini-series Molly, and the programs Sarah’s Channel and Boys in the Trees. A meeting with Mark is met with charm, calm and a keen desire to contribute to an ever evolving industry.
S2.Ep66: ANDREW ROSS - 17/9/19
Andrew Ross studied Acting at NIDA in 1984. He returned as Head of Music in 2010. Prior to his appointment, Andrew worked as a musical director, singing coach, pianist, actor and writer. He has performed and musically directed productions for most of Australia’s state theatre companies and commercial producers; on productions including Miss Saigon, The Venetian Twins, Mary Bryant, The End of the Rainbow, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Master Class and The Wharf Revue. Baz Luhrmann entrusted Andrew with the coaching of the singing on his film Moulin Rouge, a position that has led to frequent collaborations with Nicole Kidman. He has accompanied many artists in Australia and New York including Caroline O’Connor, Geraldine Turner, Hugh Jackman, Judi Connelli, Simon Burke and Toni Lamond. Andrew has had a long association with Barry Humphries, in roles that have included Musical Director and accompanist for the Australian shows Look at Me When I’m Talking to You, Remember You’re Out, Back With a Vengeance and Back to My Roots as well as for the Broadway season of Dame Edna: The Royal Tour, which won a Tony award. This year he joins Barry Humphries once again to collaborate on a new outing for the 'Housewife Superstar' - Dame Edna: My Gorgeous Life! After a brief retirement, Edna is returning to the stage to celebrate all that is Australian and to offer her unique and ‘caring’ insight. Andrew Ross will be supporting the Dame as co-author, accompanist, musical director and director. In this episode of STAGES, Andrew offers great insight into a varied and eventful career in the arts. He is truly one of the Industry’s nice guys!
S2.Ep69: TONY DELROY - 26/9/19
For 26 years Tony Delroy was at the helm of a nightly, nationally broadcast, late show called Nightlife on ABC radio. He fronted the show with barely a sick day offering his listeners an informative entertainment, into the early hours of the morning. Delroy’s enormous breadth of interest and knowledge helped to garner his success, along with a passionate understanding of his audience. Nightlife featured a team of experts every week - motoring, literature, movies, American politics, finance, superannuation and travel. He presented engaging variety that supported the delivery of current affairs and the news. Delroy’s career began while he was studying for his HSC. He secured a job in the newsroom at 2SM, moving to the newsroom at ABC whilst waiting for university to commence and the study of journalism. Roles as a News Director eventually arrived and so began the deprivation of a sleep-in with early rises a requirement of his job. His positions in radio have appeared to require a Night Owl existence. He has now stepped down from this prominent position and has embraced retirement - for now.
S2.Ep72: SAM LEVY - 17/10/19
Growing up in Sydney, Sam Levy is a Theatre Producer who now resides in New York City. He has produced works on Broadway, Off-Broadway and in the West End. Prior to founding his own company, Trumper Park, Sam was a member of the executive team at ATM Productions, a company that produces theatre in New York and London, and which has received over 80 Tony and 35 Olivier nominations since 1998. Recent productions include Dear Evan Hansen, Les Liaisons Dangerous, An Act of God, The Elephant Man and I’ll Eat You Last starring Bette Midler. Until 2009, Sam was Director of Programming at the New York Summer Play Festival, an acclaimed incubator of new plays and musicals at the award-winning Public Theatre in New York City. With an exceptional track record of identifying emerging talent, the festival’s writers and artists have gone on to receive numerous accolades, including awards and nominations for the Oscar, Tony, Olivier, Emmy and Golden Globe, as well as the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. Sam recently co-produced The Ferryman by Jez Butterworth; a play which was awarded Best New Play at the 2019 Tony Awards. He is part of the producing team bringing the new musical sensation, SIX, to Australia in 2020. And he has recently opened the musical Come From Away in Melbourne. It was during a recent visit to the Oz that we were able to sit down and discuss our favourite topic - The Theatre, and the Business that it is.
S2.Ep75: BUNTY TURNER - 24/10/19
“Tis a divided world in which we live. This creed versus that creed; highbrow versus lowbrow and so on, - ad infinitum. A major division at the present time - and one that interests us - is that the world is divided into two sections, those who have seen ‘My Fair Lady’ and those who haven’t”. This decree was the opening paragraph in the J.C. Williamson’s program heralding the arrival of the musical sensation that had captured the public consciousness around the world - Lerner and Loewe’s glorious musical examination of the social transformation of a young woman by a phonetics teacher - My Fair Lady. In 1950’s Australia the Original Cast Recording of My Fair Lady became a highly sought treasure. Families gathered at homes to ‘Get to the Church on time’ and ‘Dance all Night’ dreaming of the arrival of the show to Australian theatres - ‘Wouldn’t it be Loverley?’ The musical was a return to graciousness and elegance on the stage; allied is the fact that it is a Cinderella story - surely theatre’s surest standby. And it carries a rich source material in George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion. Eager to replicate the productions in London and New York, the Australian Impresarios, J.C.Williamson’s, imported American creatives and secured a principal cast from the UK. Williamson’s had a policy at the time of preferring to cast lead players that they could bill as “direct from the West End” even if unknown. It was felt that an actor with that billing would always attract larger audiences than an Australian. Early days in the commercial theatre; but the seed for an Australian Company of players had been planted a couple of years earlier with The Pajama Game. Leading the Original Australian company of My Fair Lady was Bunty Turner. Born in Northern Ireland she had established herself as a singer of great accomplishment in U.K. productions of Free As Air, The Dancing Years and Hansel & Gretel. The original production of My Fair Lady in this country enjoyed tremendous success; so much so that a second company was launched to tour Australian capitals and New Zealand. Bunty Turner played the role of 'Eliza Doolittle' in productions throughout Australia and South Africa. What happened to Bunty at the conclusion of the show? We discover all, in this enchanting episode of STAGES with the vivacious and thoroughly engaging, Bunty Turner.
S2.Ep78: DAVID MITCHELL - 3/11/19
In a career spanning several decades, David Mitchell has firmly established himself as Mr Entertainment. His broad range of skills has seen him contribute to the industry as a writer, director and producer across all platforms -stage, radio, television, film and live performance. As a writer, he has provided material for performers and personalities including Barbra Streisand, Bob Hope, Michael Parkinson, Barry Humphries, Clive James, Geraldine Turner, Lorna Luft and Danny LaRue. This has given him vast accolades and a repertoire of riveting anecdotes. For the stage he co-wrote the musical Better Known as Bee, about Sydney eccentric Bee Miles. Collaborating with John-Michael Howson and Melvyn Morrow, the triumvirate of writers created the stage musical Shout! The Legend of the Wild One, which broke box-office records around Australia. Their second collaboration resulted in the hugely successful Dusty: The Original Pop Diva, which took $25 million at the box office during its initial run and won four Helpmann Awards and Melbourne’s Green Room Award for Best New Australian production. He is part of the team responsible for the legendary live shows at the venues Capriccio’s and Kinselas in Sydney - performances that are still discussed today. David has co-written the Helpmann Awards and for eleven years was Executive Producer of the top-rating series, This Is Your Life. A prolific freelance television producer, David’s shows include The Mike Walsh Show, Parkinson in Australia, Saturday Night Clive and The Dame Edna Experience. His Australian Royal Bicentennial Concert in 1988 which starred Olivia Newton John, Peter Allen and Kylie Minogue, amongst many others, was described by international showbiz bible, Variety, as “pure, unremitting, unalloyed, entertainment!”
S2.Ep81: NIGEL RIDEOUT - 14/11/19
As an actor, teacher and writer, Nigel Rideout has been involved in professional theatre, film and television for the past 50 years in the UK, USA and Australia. From 1972-80, Nigel was Deputy Principal and Director of Studies at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art (LAMDA). In 1981 he was invited to create the highly successful theatre department of the newly-formed Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA). He has been Head of Theatre and Voice at the Central School of Speech and Drama, and Head of Voice at the Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London. Returning to Australia in 2002, Nigel set up the official archives for WAAPA as well as continuing to teach and direct at the Academy, also at The National Theatre Drama School in Melbourne. His many successful graduates in the UK include Jane Seymour, Martin Clunes, Nigel Planer, Amy Irving and Dame Harriet Walter. And from WAAPA: Hugh Jackman, Frances O’Connor, Dominic Purcell and Lisa McCune. Amazingly Nigel still receives annual repeat fees for a role in the first series of Dad’s Army recorded in 1968. Join us for a riveting conversation where he describes the evolution of Acting training and the emergence of WAAPA; the triumphant training ground for artists, built on the West Coast of Australia.
S2.Ep84: TANIA CHAMBERS - 24/11/19
Tania Chambers always loved the arts but never thought she’d have a career in them. She speaks with much enthusiasm and an intellect peppered with engaging humour and incredible insight of the local film industry. As the founder and Managing Director of Feisty Dame Productions Pty Ltd. she has produced the comedy feature A Few Less Men directed by Mark Lamprell and the comedic thriller Kill Me Three Times directed by Kriv Stenders. She believes that each of us can strengthen our community and enrich our lives through our experience of the arts. “It is time that we truly valued creativity and the courageous people who inspire, entertain and challenge us. Our culture and economy benefit immensely from the creative industries.” Her list of credentials is extensive - chief executive of Screen NSW and ScreenWest, Screen Producers Australia, councillor and board member of Perth International Arts Festival, AusFilm and the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts. Impressive accomplishments for someone who almost didn’t have a career in the arts! She knows how the screen industry works from the inside, the deals and the deal-makers, and how to get ahead in the screen industry. Tania is well known for her mentoring and generosity with new and emerging filmmakers. She was very generous with STAGES, offering her terrific knowledge of the film industry and drawing a vivid portrait of the art, of making art.
S2.Ep87: GALE EDWARDS (PART 2) - 1/12/19
In this companion episode Stages continues the conversation with our preeminent story-teller and acclaimed Director, Gale Edwards. In part 1 she shared with us her early life in Adelaide with an interrupted childhood, her forays into theatre-making with her company Energy Connection, time at NIDA, her early career as a director working with State Theatre Companies and a breadth of repertoire, and the arrival of Les Miserables in Australia. In Part 2, we learn about her extensive international career and the challenges presented to an artist as they navigate a precarious industry. Her American productions include:The White Devil, Don Carlos (Brooklyn Academy of Music); Hamlet, Richard 3, Titus Andronicus, Edward 2 (Shakespeare Theatre Company); Macbeth (Oregon Shakespeare Festival); and Jesus Christ Superstar (Broadway). UK productions include; The Taming of the Shrew, The Duchess of Malfi, Don Carlos, The White Devil (Royal Shakespeare Company); Fortune’s Fool, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Merchant of Venice (Chichester Festival); The Far Pavillions, Saint Joan (West End), Maria Stuarda (The English National Opera); and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Whistle Down the Wind, Jesus Christ Superstar and Aspects of Love (West End and UK tours). Australian productions include God of Carnage, Arcadia, Coriolanus, Saint Joan (STC); King Lear, The Winter’s Tale, The Glass Menagerie (SATC); The Tempest, Uncle Vanya (MTC), Nixon in China (Adelaide Festival) and The Magic Flute and Sweeney Todd (Australian opera). Gale Edwards is frank, astute, intuitive and possesses an infectious sense of humour. It is evident that she adores her role as a story-teller and is most reverential in her respect for the texts to which she gives life. The incredible joy she experiences in being in a rehearsal room is palpable. Hers is a fascinating story and it was a privilege to spend time with Gale as she shared insight, assessment and anecdotes of a celebrated and trailblazing career.
S2.Ep90: ENDA MARKEY - 5/12/19
Enda Markey was born in Dublin, Ireland. He trained on a scholarship to Laine Theatre Arts in London, studying musical theatre. Upon graduation he worked as a singer and actor in Ireland and the U.K. He appeared in the Irish premiere of Stephen Sondheim’s Follies alongside Lorna Luft, Mary Millar, Dave Willetts and Millicent Martin. Subsequent work included the role of Rick in the cult musical A Slice of Saturday Night in London and Dublin. In 2002, Enda moved to Australia and worked extensively around the country in theatre, television, concerts and cabaret. His first foray into theatre producing arrived in 2011 with a celebrated production of Side By Side By Sondheim. ‘Enda Markey Presents’ was quickly formed and the company has proceeded to develop and present works on the local and international stages, working with some of the world’s leading practitioners of musical theatre. Among the works he has presented are Do You Hear The People Sing? - a celebration of the work of Boublil and Schönberg, Defying Gravity - a concert honouring the extensive work of Stephen Schwartz, the musical Blood Brothers and cabaret and concert performances by stars of musical theatre - Ruthie Henshall, Geraldine Turner and Bobby Fox. Enda Markey joined STAGES to discuss both vantage points; working on stage and behind-the-scenes, seemingly pulling together the impossible …. great entertainments featuring enormous talents on vast stages. And to share some exciting news regarding the projects he has heading our way in 2020.
S2.Ep93: ROBIN PASCOE - 10/12/19
Robin Pascoe has recently retired from his role guiding and nurturing young teachers in the discipline of Drama. He recognises that an immersion in arts subjects is a crucial experience to equip a child with a vast skills set that will contribute to their humanity through life. Robin has had an extensive career in arts education with the Education Department of Western Australia where he was the Superintendent for the Arts with responsibility for Arts in schools K-12, Consultant for Performing Arts K-12 and District Manager for Curriculum. Robin is a Past President of Drama Australia and has held positions on the Drama Australia Executive as well as DramaWest. In July 2013 he was elected President of IDEA - the International Drama/Theatre and Education Association. It is a huge and satisfying role that allows him to observe and guide Arts education across a range of cultures. In July 2020, the IDEA 10th World Congress for Drama/Theatre and Education will be conducted in Beijing, China. Robin is a much respected and celebrated member of the Drama Education community. He is never lacking in his support and mentorship of teachers and maintains constant investigation and research into the effectiveness of the arts in the curriculum. This is an essential conversation that will enlighten, affirm and celebrate the work of the Drama teacher. Robin invests his knowledge with passion, statistics and his engaging dry wit. STAGES was delighted to examine the role of the arts in the curriculum with Robin in this absorbing episode.
S2.Ep96: PETER PINNE - 15/12/19
At the age of 14, after seeing the musical South Pacific, Peter Pinne decided to be a composer. He enjoyed some success with radio competitions and, while working in his father’s butcher shop, wrote for revues. He met his writing partner, Don Battye, at the Arts Theatre in Melbourne in the late 1950s and together they collaborated on a succession of musicals. The writing team of Pinne and Battye have contributed many and significant works to the Australian musical theatre canon. Their product includes A Bunch of Ratbags (1966), It Happened in Tanjablanca (1968) and Caroline (1971), as well as several children’s musicals. Peter Pinne also wrote songs for television shows and theatre restaurants; and scripts for several television series. During the 1980’s, he worked for the Reg Grundy Organisation and supervised the production of many television drama series, such as Neighbours, Sons and Daughters and Richmond Hill. Working for Pearson Television in the 90s he established television companies and offices in various South American countries. Together with Don Battye he set up the Bayview Recording Company, which records musical theatre performers and re-issues CDs aimed at the show music market. His work preserving and contributing to an Australian Musical Theatre product continues with the recent publication of The Australian Musical: From the Beginning. This glorious historical record and celebration is co-authored with Peter Wyllie Johnston. Peter Pinne joined Stages to reflect on an extensive career in entertainment, and the rich legacy of Australian Musicals that he celebrates in his glorious new book.
S2.Ep99: KATE FITZPATRICK - 22/12/19
Kate Fitzpatrick is one of our great actors. She was born in Perth but grew up in Adelaide. It was in this city that she developed her passion for art and cricket and classical music. Her potential as a visual artist was recognised by Jeffrey Smart, who awarded her a travelling art scholarship to Japan. Her love of cricket lead her to an appointment as the world’s first female Cricket commentator. And classical music has sustained her through a vast array of experiences in a career that has rewarded and challenged. At the age of 18 she was accepted into NIDA to study Acting. This instigated her move to Sydney and a career as one of our favourite actors. Her triumphant theatre roles include The Lady of Camellias, Hamlet on Ice, Rooted, Insignificance and Kennedy’s Children. She was there at the beginning of a burgeoning Australian theatre working in seminal works at The Jane Street Theatre, The Old Tote Theatre and Nimrod. She created the role of Magenta in the original Australian production of The Rocky Horror Show and began her career alongside iconic Australian directors like John Bell, Rex Cramphorne and Jim Sharman. The great Patrick White spotted her in The Legend of King O’Malley and became an immediate fan which then began a friendship that lasted until his death. Kate played Nola Boyle in White’s play The Season at Sarsaparilla. Subsequently he penned his next play Big Toys as a gift for her. She has been a regular face on our film and television screens. And an unmistakeable voice on radio. Kate has made an impression across all mediums. She joined me for a long lunch and a candid conversation, detailing an extraordinary life in the theatre and some extraordinary experiences with some extraordinary people. She is a great raconteur and an immense wit, all delivered with wonderful detail and a voice as smooth as warm honey.
S3.Ep103: JILL PERRYMAN AND KEVAN JOHNSTON (PART 2) - 16/2/20
Meeting in 1953 in J. C. Williamson’s Call Me Madam, Jill and Kevan married in 1959. Their two children Todd and Trudy also followed a career in showbusiness. The family ‘business’ continues with grand-children beginning to make their mark in performance. Between musicals, Jill appeared in a number of Phillip Street Theatre revues, establishing herself as a versatile talent. Musicals continued to be her speciality where she would virtually steal the show, receiving unanimous acclaim from the critics and public alike. Her great break-out performance came in 1966 with Fanny Brice in Funny Girl; a role that could have been tailor-made for Perryman’s extensive talents. Through her career she has explored other genres, giving us memorable performances in the plays ‘Night Mother and Brighton Beach Memoirs, an AFI winning performance in the film Maybe This Time and a moving turn as Kate in the mini-series Changi. Kevan continued to perform in musicals playing Conrad Birdie in Bye Bye Birdie and on to Pippin, Evita, Chicago and Annie and plays with Summer of the Seventeenth Doll and The One Day of the Year. He extended his talents to choreography and put together a number of revues for the Phillip Street Theatre including A Cuppa Tea, A Bex and a Good Lie Down. Kevan spent 15 months as a choreographer and producer for TVW-7 in Perth and was the production co-ordinator for the first Australasian tour of Disney on Parade. He has been a guest artist with The West Australian Ballet Company and for many years was on the staff of the Musical Theatre course at WAAPA. It is a partnership that has inspired performers and audiences, on and off the stage, for several decades.
S3.Ep106: PETER WYLLIE JOHNSTON - 27/2/20
The Australian Musical is a peculiar beast - a hybrid of vaudeville, music hall and the influential Broadway form. It traverses authentic and genuine storytelling whilst continually experimenting with style, structure and content; and always with the presence of a larrikin essence. The history of the Australian Musical is vast, from early offerings such as The Bunyip, Chu Chin Chow and Collits’ Inn to contemporary product like Bran Nue Dae, Muriel’s Wedding and Fangirls. The Australian Musical is a fascinating entertainment and has had a glorious history on local and International stages. It is an entertainment growing from modest beginnings to eventually finding output in The West End and on Broadway; all contributed to from a variety of practitioners exploring a great breadth of subject matter. Preserving and contributing to an Australian Musical Theatre product continues with the recent publication of The Australian Musical: From the Beginning. Co-author, Peter Wyllie Johnston, joins STAGES to examine the rich legacy of Australian Musicals which is celebrated in this glorious new book.
S3.Ep109: ALEX RATHGEBER - 8/3/20
Equipped with a soaring voice, matinee idol looks and bundles of charm; a career on the stage seems to have been destined for Alex Rathgeber. Growing up in rural Victoria, a series of roles in community theatre and school production lead him to study at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts and on to a succession of roles that have enthralled audiences. Deft character studies have engaged Rathgeber in productions of The Drowsy Chaperone, An Officer and a Gentleman, Fiddler on the Roof, The Rocky Horror Show and Next To Normal. His performance as Billy Crocker in Anything Goes earned him a Helpmann Award. He reflects on his journey thus far; the triumph and challenge, including the unique task of working within The Tin Man for The Wizard of Oz. Along the way he has played Raoul in the 21st Anniversary cast of The Phantom of the Opera in The West End. Passionate, intelligent and insightful, he proved to be the perfect guest in this episode of STAGES. He reflects on a young career in which has achieved much, and appreciates that this can never be taken for granted.
S3.Ep112: JOHN FROST (PART 1) - 19/3/20
Known affectionately as Frosty the Showman; impresario John Frost has been at the pinnacle of Musical Theatre in Australia for several decades. The Gordon Frost Organisation contributes much of the commercial product that traverses stages around the country. His productions have garnered a swag of local awards as well as two Tony Awards for musicals on the Broadway stage. Frost grew up in Adelaide and harboured dreams of a showbiz life. He’d stage backyard entertainments with his doting Aunt Mary playing Eliza to his Henry Higgins. He's been stage-struck ever since. It was a childhood influenced by a regular diet of television and Hollywood movies. A dalliance with amateur theatre in his teens provided him with the realisation that he was suited more to backstage. He left school at 15 and began his career as a dresser on the J.C. Williamson’s production of Mame. Frost had found what he wanted to do and the young apprentice garnered enormous knowledge working his way through a succession of roles - Wardrobe Master, Office Assistant to Kenn Brodziak, Stage Manager, Company Manager and Actors Agent - each experience informing his prized accomplishment as Producer. In 1983 John Frost co-founded the Gordon Frost Organisation with Ashley Gordon. They took a lease on the University of Sydney’s Footbridge Theatre and presented a succession of shows that would demonstrate to the pair the precarious nature of ‘the business’. Shows emanating from The Footbridge included Women Behind Bars (starring June Bronhill), ‘Night Mother (starring Jill Perryman and June Salter), Agnes of God and a ‘just sensational ‘ production of Jerry’s Girls. It’s a riveting story and John speaks frankly and with great wit, about his journey and what is involved in being Frosty the Showman; producing commercial product, increasing the profile of musical theatre and delivering a magical experience to audiences.
S3.Ep115: MAREE JOHNSON - 29/3/20
Some 23 years after playing Christine Daee in the Australian production of The Phantom of the Opera, Maree Johnson is back with the show - on Broadway - this time playing the mysterious Madame Giry. It is a show that has great sentimental meaning for Johnson and the experience allows her two very different access points to a story that has thrilled audiences for several decades. The desire to act had been present since childhood. Bargaining with brothers to switch the TV from cricket to a musical proved a regular challenge. Such determination was always going to reward with Johnson ultimately giving Australian audiences tremendous delight in a host of iconic roles - Maria in West Side Story, Eliza in My Fair Lady, Grizabella in Cats and Cosette in Les Miserables, to name a few. A win in the Sydney Cabaret Convention in 1998 took Maree to NYC where a next exciting chapter was to unfold. She quickly established herself with performances around the USA in Zorba, Passion and Adam Guettel’s Myths and Hyms. Marriage and family was also found, establishing Maree as very much a local. Maree was back in Australia recently and it was a great treat for STAGES to sit down with her for a couple of hours to catch up on her journey over the past few years. Also to gain terrific insight, into what it takes to be a performer on Broadway and part of an iconic musical.
S3.Ep118: MICHAEL FALZON - 16/4/20
Michael Falzon is the real deal. He is charm personified and comes with an engaging sense of humour and an infinite industry wisdom born of extensive time as a performer and producer, in the business we call show. Upon any meeting with Falzon I best describe him as possessed of a gentle bonhomie. He is humble and modest but at the same time can be direct, frank and insightful. His early career saw him singing professionally in Brisbane with Vocal Point, an 8-part group specialising in close harmony. So too began his extensive travel nationally and internationally. Early work on the stage provided him with an opportunity to explore classical musical theatre styles and operetta in a succession of shows that included The Pirates of Penzance (with Jon English), HMS Pinafore, Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (with David Dixon) and Hello, Dolly! (with Jill Perryman). These experiences would lay valuable foundations that would see him develop terrific versatility as a stage performer, and vocal skill that would extend to rock and popular repertoire. In 2003 he was rewarded with his break-through role in We Will Rock You. Selected by creators Ben Elton and Queen’s Roger Taylor and Brian May, his performance as Galileo Figaro earned great acclaim. After a tour nationally, Falzon played the show in Japan and throughout the United Kingdom. We Will Rock You offered him a chance to play huge stadiums in arena performances. This was an experience also provided by his performance as the Artilleryman in Jeff Wayne’s musical version of The War of The Worlds. Falzon’s extensive on stage work has included Hedwig and The Angry Inch, Ordinary Days, Floyd Collins, Jesus Christ Superstar, Rock of Ages, Chess and an opportunity to craft the role of Leo Szilard in the Australian/USA co-production of Atomic, and early work on the developing rock opera Get Jack. I know you’ll enjoy this conversation as much as STAGES enjoyed recording this conversation, with the buoyant Michael Falzon.
S3.Ep121: IAN PHIPPS - 30/4/20
Oscar Wilde said, “There is only one thing in the world worse than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.” Though he was advising 'Dorian Gray', Wilde could quite easily have been instructing the pursuit of the Publicist. An essential tool in the promotion and marketing of events and entertainment is the publicity machine; making us aware, engaged and informed. For over 30 years, Ian Phipps has worked in a variety of capacities communicating a product. He has served stints as Publicity Manager at SBS Television, Marketing Manager of Riverside Theatres Parramatta, Publicity and Promotions Manager of the Australian Film, Television and Radio School; and since 2009 navigation of his own promotions and publicity house, IP Publicity. It is a role demanding enormous energy, strategy and an awareness of all platforms and how they might best service the client. Large scale productions and high profile artists benefit from Ian’s management of media communications, and creative flair, in guiding the public awareness. Publicity and Promotions are another intriguing facet of our Arts industry. Ian provides great insight to his process and shares some delightful tales from his extensive experience as a Publicist working with creatives, media and the audience.
S3.Ep124: BRIAN CASTLES ONION RETURNS - 10/5/20
Brian Castles-Onion is one of Australia’s most beloved and exciting opera conductors. His impish charm and infinite knowledge of the operatic repertoire, historical perspectives and vocal technique make him an engaging authority on our rich operatic past. It is no surprise then, to learn that his lifetime of collecting recordings of vocal artists, now sees him as a passionate preservationist for some of Australia’s supreme singers. Brian is the producer of the acclaimed CD series which celebrates our operatic pioneers: Great Australian Voices. The collection is released through Desiree Records. There have been ten volumes produced, each serving delicious excerpts from the careers of singers that include Bob Allman, Nance Grant, Maureen Howard, June Bronhill, Marie Collier, Bob Simmons and Geraldine Turner. The recordings are a treat and offer the listener the opportunity to hear how our musical ancestors sounded; what they sang, how they sang, who they sang with and what they thought about their roles. An insightful historical and pictorial booklet accompanies each volume with much fascinating detail to devour. Brian joined STAGES to generously share knowledge of these great singers and the artistic legacy they leave.
S3.Ep126: DIANA SIMMONDS - 17/5/20
Born in London and spending formative years in Kenya, Diana Simmonds has had a life-long love affair with words. Words spoken and on the page, as a writer, playwright, editor and critic. She has been cited as the most reliable and discerning theatre critic in Sydney. Her online blog ‘stagenoise.com’ has amassed a large and loyal following of readers; punters and practitioners. She is immensely knowledgable and entertaining with her observations and appreciation of many art forms. Hers is an essential voice in Sydney’s cultural life. In London she wrote for various publications including Time Out and City Limits. Upon arrival in Sydney in 1985, she wrote for the Sydney Morning Herald, The Bulletin, The Australian and The Sunday Telegraph, where she was the arts editor. Her nurturing of a thriving theatre scene lead her to be a founding critic and adjudicator of the Sydney Theatre Awards; an annual celebration that has earned respect and legitimacy. She has published a number of novels and non-fiction books, including one on Princess Diana and another on Doris Day. She’s also had two stage shows produced. Diana Simmonds joined STAGES to reflect on the responsibility of the reviewer, the power of the arts and the essential need for us to tell and consume stories.
S3.Ep130: BARRY CREYTON (PART 2) - 31/5/20
Barry Creyton continues to provide fascinating insight and reflection of an extensive career, in this companion episode of the STAGES podcast. He examines the craft of writing in regard to the many forms in which he has written - fiction, comedy and farce, film, theatre, revue and radio drama. A period working in London allowed him opportunities as a broadcaster with the BBC World Service and theatre gigs that included productions of David Williamson’s Don’s Party at The Royal Court and a national tour of Ronald Millar’s Abelard and Heloise; a play that restored his confidence as an actor. Recent activity has seem him work with LA Theatreworks and Blackstone Audio adapting and sometimes performing, in a series of audio productions of classic texts. He continues to write and develop screenplays and remains a picture of health (there’s a picture in an attic somewhere!) through a committed discipline of gym. Creyton serves the roles of actor, director, and writer with tremendous ease, extensive knowledge and immense charm. To be in his company is an experience to be treasured. He is generous, warm, witty and ready with a mountain of anecdotes that delight, inform and endlessly entertain.
S3.Ep132: BENJAMIN NORTHEY - 7/6/20
Benjamin Northey is the Chief Conductor of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra and the Principal Conductor in Residence of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra. He has previously held the posts of Associate Conductor of the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, Resident Guest Conductor of the Australian Pro Arte Chamber Orchestra and Principal Guest Conductor of the Melbourne Chamber Orchestra. Born and raised in Ballarat, he embraced music as an expression from an early age. Flute, clarinet and saxophone were instruments of choice. An appetite and enthusiasm for further exploration saw him develop skills in arranging; and pursue piano, trumpet and violin to add to his developing skills set. Northey graduated with performance studies in classical saxophone from the University of Melbourne Conservatorium of Music. He followed this promptly with a Master of Music study in Conducting, from the Victorian College of the Arts, and continued study abroad. With a progressive and diverse approach to repertoire he has collaborated with a broad range of artists and he is adept at a terrific range of musical styles. Northey likes nothing more than to lead an audience through a sensory experience of music. He does it with passion, pride and perfection. Benjamin Northey joined STAGES in a passionate discussion that considers the musician’s process; and ponders the present performance pause and absence of audience.
S3.Ep135: NEIL GOODING - 21/6/20
Neil Gooding is an international theatre director, producer and writer. He was the originating Chairman and one of the founding members of the Hayes Theatre Co. in Sydney. He is the Head of New Musicals Australia and in 2002 established his own company, Neil Gooding Productions (NGP). Directing highlights include the Australian premiere of Stalking The Bogeyman, the World Premiere concert version of Paris, the World Premiere of The Red Tree, Church And State, Passion, the World Premiere of The Hatpin, Truth Beauty And A Picture Of You and High Fidelity; the national tour of Thank You for Being A Friend; as well as Side by Side by Sondheim and Diciasette. As a producer, Neil's work internationally includes: Back to the Future the Musical at the Manchester Opera House; the New York production of Handle with Care starring Carol Lawrence; The 39 Steps (Union Square Theatre in New York); Alan Cumming's one-man version of Macbeth; Church And State (New World Stages, NYC) and participation in the Broadway productions of It's Only A Play; The Empire Strips Back and The Ferryman. In London's West End, Neil was a producer of the hit Australian play, Holding the Man. Neil is also the author of the musical Back to the 80's which is now produced hundreds of times around the world every year, as well as the newly released Popstars. Next week he directs the Australian premiere of Who’s Your Baghdaddy? (Or How I Started The Iraq War). Due to the present Covid-19 restrictions, this stage musical has been reimagined to be performed online. It’s a daring new way to reach an audience but necessity is often the mother of invention. Neil Gooding joined STAGES from New York to discuss the show and a trajectory in the theatre that is reaping great rewards.
S3.Ep138: BILL STEPHENS - 2/7/20
The Canberra Times identified Bill Stephens as one of 75 people who had shaped the National Capitol. He is one of the region’s best known theatrical personalities, and although his career was in Hospital Administration, it has been through his passionate involvement in the performing arts nationally, that he has made his most important contribution. He has carved a lengthy career as a Theatre Director with theatre companies in Griffith and Canberra. For 15 years he was Cabaret Producer and Artistic Director at the Queanbeyan School of Arts cafe. The School of Arts Café became the longest established cabaret venue in Australia, attracting a host of sterling talent and enthusiastic audiences. As a Theatre Critic and Writer he regularly contributes reviews to the Canberra Critics Circle blog, and reviews productions of musical theatre, cabaret and dance for City News, and Australian Arts Review. Bill has also contributed feature articles on theatre to ‘Stage Whispers’. Bill has had extensive experience presenting radio programs of interviews, reviews, music and news. Since February, 2019, he has been producing and presenting weekly episodes of the arts program, In The Foyer for Artsound FM. Commencing in 1985, Bill has been an interviewer for the National Library of Australia’s Oral History Program, specialising in the performing arts and preserving vital conversations with artists across all disciplines and roles. In 2017 he was honoured with the Medal of the Order of Australia - for services to the performing arts. Bill has spoken to everyone and now it’s my treat to speak with Bill - and learn more about the passion and energy that has sustained him over several decades in a passionate pursuit of the performing arts and its practitioners.
S3.Ep141: BRIAN THOMSON (PART 2) - 19/7/20
Brian Thomson is approaching his 50th year as a Set Designer, contributing to a vast number of productions and platforms globally. He is Australia’s most prolific designer, creating scenic worlds to tell stories across a range of platforms - theatre, opera, film, musical and concert. In this companion episode of STAGES we revisit his work with Barry Humphries and Kylie Minogue, and the staging of Priscilla Queen of the Desert - the musical, in theatres around the world. Along the way he has collected a Tony Award and worked with a host of great talents. He has designed for large canvases and small spaces. Recent work ranges from the intimacy of The Old Fitz theatre with Krapp’s Last Tape to La Traviata on Sydney Harbour, which alas succumbed to Covid’s tragic interruption. Brian is eloquent, engaging and erudite, providing fascinating insight into the work of the Designer, and also anecdote from vital contributions to the Arts across several decades.
S3.Ep144: RHONDA BURCHMORE (PART 2) - 2/8/20
In Part 2 of the STAGES conversation with Rhonda Burchmore, we traverse the extensive career highlights that run parallel to those of the musical theatre. Television variety and cabaret have rewarded her with many triumphs and other modes of artistic expression. Burchmore has forged a lengthy career in one of the toughest and most unforgiving industries; show business. Tenacity, heart and humour have been steadfast qualities that have enabled her to rise to the top and enamour audiences. Her one-woman show Red, Hot and Rhonda opened the Crown Casino in Melbourne. She was honoured with the Cabaret Icon Award at The International Adelaide Cabaret Festival and she continues to work with Mamma Mia alumni Lara Mulcahy in self-devised entertainments Abba-Solutely Fabulous and Partners in Crime. Rhonda was a spirited addition to many television variety shows that included The Don Lane Show, The Mike Walsh Show and Hey, Hey It’s Saturday. These shows were screened live, depended on spontaneity and featured big bands. Rhonda is candid, warm and the owner of a laugh that wraps around you. She shares more of her magnificent story in this companion episode of STAGES.
S3.Ep147: TIM CHAPPEL - 20/8/20
When Tim Chappel was 13, he was mesmerised by the beauty and creation bursting from the pages of an edition of Vogue. This awakening steered the young artist away from aspirations of becoming a botanist and pointed him towards the alchemy of a hot glue gun and glitter, fabric and fabulousness; and into the world of costume design. Tim Chappel is one of Australia’s leading costume designers and has designed for feature films, TV series, theatre, musicals and music video clips. He was awarded the Academy Award, a British Academy of Film and Television Arts Award, and an Australian Film Institute Award for his costume design of The Adventures of Priscilla , Queen of the Desert. For the stage musical adaptation, Chappel was rewarded again with Broadway’s coveted Tony Award for his inspired design and creation. His extensive design credits include the films Miss Congeniality and Today You Die; Television product such as Australia’s Got Talent and Dancing with the Stars; the stage productions Gypsy and Funny Girl and Music Videos for Cher, Missy Elliott and Matchbox 20. It is a career that has reached beyond Australian platforms to be showcased in the West End, on Broadway and in the celluloid splendour of Hollywood. Chappel continues to create vivid worlds on various canvases. He relishes too, the opportunity to train a new generation of costume designers, imparting a knowledge built on invention, spectacle and an inimitable style. STAGES was thrilled to meet Tim and to garner a unique insight into the art of the costume designer and to reflect on a celebrated career.
S3.Ep150: MAGGIE KIRKPATRICK - 10/9/20
Maggie Kirkpatrick holds a unique place in Australian entertainment. She created one of the most iconic characters in Australian drama television history and simultaneously evolved into one of the most accomplished and admired theatrical leading ladies. Maggie appeared as Madame Morrible in the original Australian production of Wicked, which toured nationally and throughout Asia for seven years. Maggie manifested Madame Morrible for the run of the show. She has worked extensively with Australia's leading theatre companies, including STC (Major Barbara, The Beauty Queen of Leenane, The Ham Funeral, A Delicate Balance, A Cheery Soul, The Cripple of Inishmaan), MTC (Emerald City), the State Theatre Of South Australia (Farewell Brisbane Ladies, The One Day Of The Year) and Perth Theatre Company (A Passionate Woman). Maggie was directed by Michael Blakemore in Death Trap and has shared the stage with Sir Michael Redgrave (in JC Williamson’s Voyage Round My Father), Susannah York (Shoehorn Sonata, London's King’s Head Theatre) and Topol (Fiddler on the Roof) among others. Maggie's musical repertoire includes stellar turns in Irene, Anything Goes, Songs From Side Show Alley, Singin' in the Rain and the West End production of Prisoner: Cell Block H - The Musical, not to mention several highly successful and long running, one-woman cabaret shows, The Screw Is Loose and Maggie Kirkpatrick...Still Here. Her television credits include, All Saints, Blue Heelers, Water Rats, GP, Home and Away, The Pacific and of course, Joan (The Freak) Ferguson in Prisoner. Maggie's feature film roles include Welcome To Woop Woop, Lillian's Story, Billy's Holiday, The Night of the Prowler and The Getting of Wisdom. Maggie has long been actively involved in raising awareness of gay rights receiving a DIVA Award for fund raising for the fight against HIV/Aids. She is a proud member of Actors Equity since 1961. Earlier this year Maggie released her memoir, The Gloves Are Off - The Inside Story from Prisoner to Wicked. It is a terrific read recounting a brilliant career, while also chronicling our vital stage history. Maggie is a treasured guest in this special edition of STAGES - episode 150!
S3.Ep153: TONY BONNER - 1/10/20
Tony Bonner has a striking presence; he exudes abundant energy and maintenance of the matinee idol looks that propelled him onto an international career. His immediate fame came as chopper pilot Jerry King in the iconic television series Skippy the Bush Kangaroo. The series became universally acclaimed and brought adoration for the cast. But Bonner’s extensive resume is more than Skippy. It boasts impressive work that spans several decades across stage, television and film platforms. The son of an actor, Bonner’s early forays in the theatre saw him commence work as a dresser for J.C. Williamson productions. It was not long before he was seduced by the stage and the colourful folk who graced it. Musicals with ‘The Firm’ included The Sentimental Bloke, The Great Waltz and How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying. As an award winning actor his television credits extend through Australia, the U.K. and USA. These have included Cop Shop, Homicide, Skyways, Hawaii Five-O, Murder She Wrote, The Persuaders, The Box, Matlock Police, Carson’s Law, Division 4, The Rockford Files and Neighbours. He has worked alongside and befriended screen legends Tony Curtis, Kirk Douglas, Paul Hogan, Charles Bronson, Tom Selleck and Roger Moore in an impressive list of films that include Soldier of Fortune, The Man From Snowy River, Creatures The World Forgot, Quigley Down Under and The Lighthorsemen. The prospect of Agent 007 may have come his way if not for the dogged demons that persisted in his early years. Tony Bonner is candid in his reflection. He is brutally honest in recalling the triumphs and troughs of a colourful life. And he tells it all with immense charm, humour and survival.
S3.Ep156: MARIA MERCEDES - 11/10/20
Maria Mercedes is a first generation Australian. She grew up in Carlton, surrounded by other Greek families. English was not her spoken language when she commenced school. She surmounted early obstacles to become one of our favourite stage and screen actors. Early participation in television talent shows, Young Talent Time and New Faces garnered the young Mercedes two significant wins and the attention of an industry keen to celebrate her glorious vocal prowess. Maria Mercedes has become one of Australia’s most engaging and enduring performers. She has carved a stellar career as actor, singer and recording artist. Her voice captivates the listener completely. It has the unique ability to reach into an audience and grip them spellbound. It is equal parts power and vulnerability. A succession of theatre roles are the envy of any Music theatre performer. She has been celebrated as Luisa Contini in Nine, Grizabella in Cats, Svetlana in Chess, Mama Morton in Chicago and has electrified audiences in star turns as Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard and Maria Callas in Masterclass. Film and television roles complete the resume of this accomplished story-teller. Maria’s film credits include Head On, Patrick, Dreams For Life, Evil Awakens and The Taverna. And on the small screen in Bloom, Wentworth, Neighbours, Greeks on the Roof and Prisoner. Maria joined Stages to examine some of those performances and to relish the opportunities she has had in a challenging, surprising but always satisfying career.
S3.Ep159: JOHN WATERS - 22/10/20
John Waters is one of Australia’s most recognised and favourite actors. His theatre credits span productions in Australia and the United Kingdom. Demonstrating terrific versatility, John has taken lead roles in an array of plays and musicals. He made is debut as Claude in Harry M. Millar’s production of Hair. Subsequent performances include Godspell, Jesus Christ Superstar, They’re Playing Our Song, An Ideal Husband, The Woman in Black, A Little Night Music, Talk, The Sound of Music, The Graduate, Oliver!, The Rocky Horror Show, My Fair Lady and The Addams Family. As well as his 20-year involvement with the iconic Australian children’s show Play School, his other television credits include City Homicide, The Mystery of a Hansom Cab, The Man from Snowy River, Singapore Sling, All The Rivers Run, Rush, All Saints, Underbelly: The Golden Mile and Division 4 for which he was awarded the TV Week Silver Logie for Best New Talent in 1975. More recently John starred as Darcy in five seasons of the hit series Offspring and Travis James in Mystery Road. His impressive list of feature film credits includes Stealth, The Sugar Factory, High Country, Breaker Morant, Eliza Frazer and Pino Amenta’s Boulevard of Broken Dreams for which he received the AFI (AACTA) Best Actor Award. For 30 years he has been touring the self-penned Looking Through a Glass Onion - a part monologue, part concert that celebrates the man and phenomenon of John Lennon. The show has played throughout Australia, the U.K. and New York. As an accomplished musician, John has released a number of recorded albums and EPs, adding to his illustrious career.
S3.Ep162: AARNE NEEME - 1/11/20
Aarne Neeme started his professional theatre career in 1962, as a dancer in a Christmas pantomime at Melbourne’s Tivoli Theatre. In an extensive career he has contributed as a director and a lecturer in both vocational and academic institutions, throughout Australia and in New Zealand and Singapore. Aarne has directed well over 300 productions covering the whole classical and contemporary repertoire; and specialising in new writing. He has been the Artistic Director of a number of organisations and has worked for most of the major theatre companies. Most notably, he has held the positions of Artistic Director of National Theatre Co. Perth, Hunter Valley Theatre Co., Hole in the Wall Theatre Co, Head of the Theatre Department at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts, and Senior Fellow at the National University of Singapore. He has also worked in television, directing on drama series such as Blue Heelers, All Saints, MDA, Home and Away, Neighbours and Out of the Blue. He has been the recipient of various awards in Sydney, Perth, Newcastle and Canberra. Most impressively an Order of Australia (AM) for his work as a director and educator in theatre and television. Aarne is a charming gentleman, a man of the theatre and a consummate artist. What a privilege to hear his insights. Enjoy!
S3.Ep164: JOAN CARDEN - 8/11/20
Joan Carden was born in Melbourne in 1937 on the anniversary of the great composer Giuseppe Verdi’s birth. After understudying June Bronhill as ‘The Merry Widow’ in 1960, Joan Carden sought tuition in London studying with her major musical influence, London-trained and based, West Australian-born, multi-lingual, expatriate vocal coach, Vida Harford. Joan Carden appeared in opera and concerts in Europe before initially joining The Australian Opera in concerts in 1970. The following year marked her stage debut with the company as ‘Liu’ in Turandot and ‘Marguerite’ in Faust. After much acclaim in Australia as ‘Gilda’ in Rigoletto she was invited to repeat the role at Covent Garden. Engagements ensued throughout the United Kingdom and United States. Joan Carden has sung virtually all the Mozart heroines. Her performance of ‘Violetta’ in Verdi’s La Traviata has been noted for the moving interpretation. Her voice in ‘Violetta’s’ famous aria, is on the sound track of the film Priscilla, Queen of The Desert. She has sung more than 50 major roles from the 18th century through to contemporary works , including: ‘Desdemona’ (Otello); ‘Leonora’ in both Il Trovatore and La Forza del Destino; ‘Elisabetta’ (both Don Carlos and Maria Stuarda); ‘Rosalinde’ in Die Fledermaus, ‘Feldmarschallin’ (Der Rosenkavalier) and ‘Ellen Orford’ (Peter Grimes); ‘Tatyana’ (Yevgeny Onyegin)- in Russian and English. Other title roles include Alcina, Lakme, and Adriana Lecouvreur. She has embraced Musical Theatre performances as Mother Abbess in the Gordon/ Frost Organisation’s The Sound of Music and Ida Strauss in John Diedrich’s production of Titanic. In 2003, she took on a last role for Opera Australia - ‘Public Opinion’ based on controversial political figure, Pauline Hanson, in a satirical new version of Orpheus in the Underworld. Joan Carden is engaging grace and charm. She reflects warmly on a career that has not only brought audiences great joy but also rewarded her, in the ability to gift the art of song.
S3.Ep167: DITCH DAVEY - 19/11/20
Ditch Davey is a charming bloke and a terrific actor. Following study at the West Australian Academy of Performing Arts he cut his teeth on a series of commercial and series work with All Saints, Above The Law, Water Rats and the telemovie Do Or Die. It wasn’t long before he arrived permanently on our screens in the guise of Constable Evan Jones in the police drama, Blue Heelers. This stint garnered him the Logie Award for Most Popular New Male Talent. Davey went on to host Channel Seven’s Police Files - Unlocked before leaving to work on Sea Patrol. He played SAS officer Jim Roth on a semi-regular basis. He portrayed Romeo in the 2012 Australian Science-Fiction Film Crawlspace. He featured in the final season of Spartacus: War of the Damned. Film engagements have followed and a role as Dr Ian Bickman in the US produced series Black Box; a medical drama which screened on the ABC network. Davey starred alongside Terry Kinney and Vanessa Redgrave. Ditch Davey can presently be seen in Home & Away as Summer Bay’s new medic, Dr Christian Green. It had been a few years since I last caught up with Ditch. Nothing had changed. He possessed the same charming, funny and contagious spirit that has obviously propelled him into a triumphant career on screens and stage.
S3.Ep170: SHIRLEY GERMAIN - 6/12/20
Shirley Germain was Opera Australia’s wig-mistress for 38 years. Her husband, John Germain, was a revered singer with the Company for 40 years, performing many of the great Baritone roles. Commencing her career as a hairdresser, she found that the Opera Company was looking for someone to oversee the preparation and maintenance of the many wigs required in production. It was the second year of its existence. Already associated with the Company, through her husband, the role seemed a perfect fit. The young company made do in various venues around Sydney until 1973 when Opera Australia made the Sydney Opera House its new home. Shirley has been in the unique position of having had a ‘front-row seat’, observing the company grow and triumph over several decades. She has worked with the greats of the Opera World, and counted many of them as her close friends. Shirley has contributed enormously in her preparation, styling and care of the 'heads' of the characters in Opera. This unique artistry is of paramount importance to the success of a production, contributing to the aesthetics and allowing a singer to take the stage with confidence and character. It is a role Shirley has relished and we are indeed privileged to have access to her experience and anecdote in this delightful episode of STAGES.
S3.Ep173: SHAUNA JENSEN - 17/12/20
Shauna Jensen is an Australian singer. This year she celebrated her 50th year in ‘the business’. She has been a member of multiple bands including Purple Vision and Flake. She was an original cast member of Jesus Christ Superstar, appearing on the Original Australian Cast Recording. Turns in Two Gentlemen of Verona and Betty Blokkbuster followed. Shauna's debut CD, Something Real, was released in 1997. By January 1998 she had won the award for Best Female Vocalist at the inaugural Goulburn Blues Festival; a festival which rivals the Blues Festival at Byron Bay. Shauna has worked as backup vocalist for the leading rock artists in Australia, including Jimmy Barnes, Australia's most beloved rock band Cold Chisel, Richard Clapton, Jon Stevens, Billy Thorpe, Hugh Jackman, Noiseworks, Powderfinger and INXS. For most of the 1980s Shauna was one of the most in-demand studio singers, a career which introduced her to the world of background singing on film, television, radio and in the rock music world, for the next two decades. The new millennium brought with it exciting new projects for Shauna. These included singing background vocals for Carry the Flame by Jon Stevens, the official song for the Sydney 2001 Olympics torch relay. In 2001 Shauna collaborated with legendary Sydney DJ Paul Goodyear and their first single is an uplifting house rework of the Sylvester classic Take Me to Heaven. STAGES caught up with Shauna midway of her cabaret season at Claire's Kitchen at Le Salon.
S3.Ep175: WE NEED A LITTLE CHRISTMAS - 24/12/20
We’ve arrived at Episode 175 - our final episode in season 3 of the STAGES podcast. It’s been a monumental year and we’ve been able to navigate through it by completing 68 conversations with artists, creatives and a myriad of dynamic roles, defining a score of stages and providing terrific insight to the business we call 'show'. It’s no wonder we need a little Christmas! So to finish the year we are joined by some of STAGES favourites, to share some merriment and reminiscences of the Festive season - on stages and off. We’ll hear some Christmas tunes and celebrate Saint Nick with Kate Fitzpatrick, Rhonda Burchmore, Ron Creager, Brian Castles-Onion and Geraldine Turner. The perfect company to accompany you as you wrap your presents, toast with egg nog and blast the air-conditioner on Christmas Eve. Thanks for your support of STAGES through 2020. Have a jolly Christmas and a super New Year. We’ll be back in March 2021. Catch you then.
stages 2021
Stand-by. Coming Soon.